Seafood Night

I love it that I can easily turn my cravings into reality by either eating out at a nearby restaurant or going to the nearest grocery for ingredients - nearest means a block away or across the street.

Ever since K. mentioned seafood risotto the other night, I've been dreaming about it. I wanted my seafood mix to have salmon, squid, clams and shrimp - perfect blend of colors to contrast the pale arborio rice. But, I only found shrimp (peeled and deveined) and sole fillet - blanched in seafood stock together with oyster mushrooms.

For anyone who thinks risotto is intimidating, forget about it. Risotto is easy to make.

I started my version by melting butter in low heat until it's almost brown, adding the onions. Once the onions are caramelised, add in a glass of wine, salt and pepper, minced garlic and let the whole thing reduce. Afterwards, add the arborio rice, making sure you ladle in some stock as the liquid is absorbed. Ladle in, and stir until you reach the right consistency, and the rice is cooked. To finish, blend in the seafood, oyster mushrooms and parmesan cheese. Dobrou chut!

Oh, how could I forget my appetizer? After trying deep-fried oyster mushrooms at Mr. Rockefeller, I've been making it at home. Here's another simple recipe:

Prepare the batter by seasoning all-purpose flour and whisking in ice-cold water, leaving lumps (I normally leave it in the freezer for awhile.) While the oil is heating in a deep-fryer, wash and season the oyster mushrooms and soak in the batter. On medium heat, deep fry the oysters until crisp and golden brown.

As for the dip, whisk the contents of a coddled egg with white vinegar, pepper, salt and olive oil. Whisking somehow makes the dip fluffy. If it's runny, toss it in the microwave for 30 seconds and it's ready to serve.

All this prepared, with a glass of white wine from South Eastern Australia.

Good eats. Simple pleasures. The joy of cooking (and of course, eating).