Risotto with Chicken Thighs and Grapes
This recipe was adapted by Dennis Sienko from a recipe by Biba
Caggiano. Biba owns Biba Restaurant, a high-end,
fabulous restaurant in Sacramento. She's also written several
cookbooks. Dennis says, "I use the red flame grapes that are
available in late summer and fall. Whatever grapes you
use, they must be seedless, red and full of flavor. This recipe
will make three meal-sized portions or six to eight appetizer
course portions."
"This goes well with a nice Pinot Noir. In our case we paired
it with the 2005 Michel Sarrazin Givry “Sous La
Roche”. Available at Bend Wine Cellar for
$22.50."
Ingredients
- 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, grilled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 oz seedless red flame grapes, washed and cut in half
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 medium minced garlic clove
- 5 oz Crimini mushrooms, cute into ½” slices and sautéed
- Juice from one-half lemon
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock (you can add ½ cup water to 4 cups of stock)
- 3 oz Gorgonzola cheese, chopped into small chunks
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons Provence spices
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
- Warm the chicken stock in a pot on a burner next to the burner to be used for the risotto in a large pan,
- sauté the onions and garlic in two tablespoons the butter until soft
- Add the Arborio rice to the onions and stir until all of the grains of rice are covered with butter
- Add the white wine and reduce the mixture until the wine has evaporated
- Add the lemon juice and Provence spices to the mixture
- Using a ladle, add a ladle full of stock to the rice mixture and heat over medium heat until the stock is absorbed
- Continue adding stock to the mixture, one ladle at a time and stirring the mixture until the stock is absorbed until about one-half cup of stock remains
- Add most of the Gorgonzola cheese to the mixture and stir thoroughly
- Add the chicken thighs, the mushrooms and the grapes to the rice mixture and stir thoroughly
- Ladle the risotto into large bowls and top with equal portions of the remaining stock and the remaining Gorgonzola cheese
-
Serve immediately
