Risotto Gone Wrong?

I say wrong because when I finally looked up how risotto is supposed to be made, I was totally off the mark. This is a recipe I invented from sheer guessing, and some trial-and-error. But I've been told it’s pretty damn good. Better than that pre-packaged paella I got in Spain anyway.

FOR 2-3 PPL
FOR THE RICE:
1 cup risotto rice, since i usually can’t afford or find it I use jasmine rice.
1 cube veg stock
1 TB butter

FOR THE RISOTTO:
olive oil or butter
1 red and yellow pepper- cut into little squares
1/2 cup peas and/or carrots
1/2 cup of mushrooms
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon’s juice
mozzarella and/or parmesean cheese
(if pesky, nice to add seafood- prawns or mussels or squid)
1 can of tomatoes (contains about 5-6 small tomatoes)
1/2 cup white wine or beer
salt / pepper
spices: 1tsp thyme, 1tsp chili, 1TB parsley
fresh chopped basil OR coriander (you choose which you prefer, i prefer coriander)

Cooking the rice:
1. If you have your own way of cooking rice, or a rice cooker, go for it. I’ve heard so many different ways of cooking rice- my mom has always taught me 1-1...but with risotto or thai rice, I have learned to use 1.25 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. After you’ve washed the rice, add that amount of water to the rice in a pot.
2. Throw in the butter and stock and mix well. Now turn the heat on to high and wait for it to almost start boiling. Immediately switch to the lowest heat setting you can, put a lid over and let it steam.

*Preheat oven to 200C*
NEXT:
1. Fry onions and crushed garlic in about 2tb of olive oil OR 3 tb of butter until browned on medium heat. Throw in seafood now if you are using it and saute for a bit, with the lemon juice, or else throw it in with all your fresh veg. Add wine or beer. Add thyme, chili, parsley, salt. Cook for about 15-20 minutes...
2. Check on the rice- if its near completion turn the heat on it completely off. You don’t want it overcooked since you are going to eventually cook even more in the oven! Mushy risotto rice is not good...
3. Throw in your tomatoes into the mixture, add half the chopped coriander. Now, combine the rice and veg risotto mixture together, in which ever bowl is bigger! Stir a bit on low heat for about 5-10 mins, add the rest of the coriander.
4. Once your rice has sufficiently absorbed the risotto mix (its ok if a bit of water is left, since it’ll evaporate in the oven), then pour all into a square baking dish. Sprinkle over in the cheese and pop into oven.
5. Cooking time varys, either when you’re cheese is starting to brown or else, just approx 30 mins.

Enjoy, dude.

Easy Veggie Taco Salad

Just got back from Barcelona, wish I could post some local recipe acquired there... but alas, my brain was overly fried (har har) by the good (and bad) music at Primavera fest. Anyway, the festival beer was overpriced and got addicted to 7euro Taco Salad and ate it everyday.... whilst knowing I coulda made it for the same price to serve 2-3 ppl at once! So here's something I frequently make, esp good if you're broke living in norway. You can buy thrdr taco dinner kits (10 shells, salsa, and spices (tho i prefer my own)) for 14kr ('bout 1 quid).

In Greedy Ants:
*(for easy guacamole)
2-3 thingies of garlic, pressed
1 avocado
1 finely chopped tomato
half lemon

(for taco salad:)
*taco shells, my partner and i usually eat 5-6ea. coz we're pigs
*shredded mozzarella cheeze
*sour cream
*garlic, onions chopped
*head of lettuce- shredded
*2 peppers, red green or/and yellow, cut into strips
*2-3 choppes tomatoes
*small courgette (zucchini for ya yanks), cut finely
*TVP (dried mince) or if you're pesky like me, prawns
*fresh coriander finely chopped (can mix with guacamole too)
*spices: CUMIN, chili, paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, oregano, pepper
*beer

OK. I like to serve my taco salads in an overperfect way, so its about timing the layers. The final product looks sumthang like this:

-------------->dollop of salsa on, dollop of sour cream on,

------------>guacamole on/with coriander on,

---------->mozzarella cheeze on,

--------->mince and veg mixture on top of,

-------->shredded lettuce

-------> crushed nachos
=======DA==PLATE=================

1. First thing is to make the guacamole, a dull job often easier with if you have what Kez & I call a "boosher" (blender, hand or small). Since I usually don't, I use the next best thing, my boyfriend. He mashes these up in a bowl with a fork-- the avocados, with finely pressed/chopped garlic, then squeezes all the lemon juice on top. Stirs in tomatoes and pops in fridge until the grand finale.

2. OK, now, let's get cooking. Chop up garlic and onions and carmelize at med heat with about two tablespoons of olive oil (ooh did I get some good ones in spain!). Once browned, throw in the mince, turn heat up. Mince is extremely dry so you gotta keep adding some water to it to make it fully realize itself. I usually use a half cup of beer to do the trick instead.

3. Once mince looks like its browning too, add in the courgette, then the peppers. Turn heat down a bit. Stir for about 5-10 mins. Then gradually start adding the spices... Add more water if necessary...At this moment, you wanna turn on/preheat your oven to about 180C and get ready to stick those tacos in soon.

4. Cook mince mixture for about another 20-26 mins on low heat, you want the veg to soften but not overly mush. Does that make sense. 10 mins to their approximate finish, stick in your tacos.

5. Once your mince+veg mixture is done, and your tacos look sufficiently heated up (they should sizzle but don't overcook! no more than 10-15 mins), throw all the tacos in a bowl and crush 'em. Nacho size or smaller.

6. Now the layering begins. Like the above diagram, basically make a bed with the warm nachos on each plate. Follow with a good fat portion of the lettuce. Then top with the mince+veg, then, etc. etc. Voila! You're now ready to serve.

BUEN PROVECHO!!!!
Extras: If time and money permits, here's things I've also added to my taco salad:
-Chopped Jalepenos on the side, or in the mince+veg mix, fresh chili does the same
-Mexican Rice on the bed of lettuce
-If you have time or wanna be fancy, making the taco salad inside an edible fried tortilla bowl. Mmmm!