Hello, spring.
Hello, sunshine.
Hello, gorgeous flower cocotte.
Who would have ever thought cookware could bring such happiness?
In part 2 of our ongoing partnership with Le Creuset®, we’ve developed two delightful spring recipes for this gorgeous new piece.
This baked Lemon Risotto (pictured above) is perhaps the easiest risotto we’ve ever made. One pot. In the oven. 25 minutes and done. It’s tart and creamy and would be perfect topped with some seared scallops or grilled fish.
Also, in a unique twist on a classic, our Starfruit Upside-Down Cake is nothing short of stunning, and perfectly fitting of the flower shape. We’d never worked with starfruit before developing this recipe, and were intrigued by the unique flavor, somewhere in between a pineapple and a concord grape. It’s a tart and fruity compliment to the lightly-spiced and oh-so-buttery cake. I’m not one to indulge in cakes that aren’t chocolate and/or smothered in frosting, but this cake is definitely an exception to that rule.
Like the Heart Casserole we featured in February, the Flower Cocotte is the perfect size for a meal for two or side dishes where a larger dutch oven seems like overkill (which is often the case in our two-person household). Not to mention Le Creuset’s newest color, Soleil, is stunning. Can you say great Mothers’ day gift idea?
Baked Lemon Risotto
The fresh taste of lemon adds a bright flavor to this simplified risotto recipe. Bake and serve in the Flower Casserole, alongside a delicate flaky fish or seared scallops.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup arborio rice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cups chicken stock, divided
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Melt butter in the flower casserole over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 – 3 minutes or until softened and translucent. Stir in rice and toss to coat. Add white wine and lemon juice, and stir until liquid is mostly absorbed, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and stir. Cover and bake 10 minutes. Remove lid and give the rice a good stir, then return to oven, uncovered. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until rice is tender. If risotto is too dry, add more chicken broth, a little at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.(It will thicken a bit more upon standing.)
- Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among serving bowls and enjoy.
Did you make this recipe?
Let us know what you think!
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Sponsored by Le Creuset®. All opinions written are purely my own.
I don’t even know what kind of weird stuff has made it into my kitchen. I have a jar of grape leaves for the doulmas I’ve yet to make???
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I’m from the midwest, so many things are unusual to me at first (and to my family when I tell them!), but I’d have to say the only one that really sticks out is when we bought chicken livers to add to bolognese. Probably not unusual to most, but definitely out of my comfort zone… and delicious!
The most unusual ingredient thus far is coconut oil!
Well, I guess it would depend on what I thought was unusual or my husband thought was unusual… The makings for homemade cheese, kale rabe, my mother’s fig preserves, any spice you could name… Not sure what would be most “unusual” :)
I think my most unusual thing has been dandelion flowers (breaded and fried). Not the best thing I’ve ever eaten, but better than I expected!
My dog wanted to agree about the hemp seed oil – he woofed that it was terrrrrrrrific!
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Hemp, hemp, hemp! I’ve started using hemp seed oil in all my salad dressings and enjoying toasted hemp hearts in my oatmeal. I also use a combination of hemp seed and coconut oils in my hair once a week as a deep conditioner, and my hair has never looked so good. Heck, I even give hemp seed oil to my dog as a skin and coat supplement. He loves it too, and his coat looks better than ever.
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Oh my gosh, that pan is gorgeous! Hhhhmmm…the weirdest ingredient that’s made it’s way into my kitchen is probably the Caribbean fruit charamoya. It tastes like a cross between a banana and a pineapple and makes killer smoothies! :)
I am a subscriber to L&OO!!! The strangest ingredient that I have been using a lot of lately is flax seed….I absolutely love it! I can put it in just about anything!!!
Gosh that is a tufie! Challots?:)
Miso is about the only “unsual” ingredient that has made it into my kitchen so far.
I subscribe via email.
My father requested that I make my great grandmother’s plum puddung for Christmas. My husband was kind and took my shopping list to get the ingredients. When he asked the butcher to grind some beef suet, the man held up the fat and said,”this?” My husband was quite embarrassed, and there was no charge for what the man thought was garbage.
I follow both on Twitter and I tweeted (witt0071).
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Would cave aged cheese qualify as weird?
I have a yuzu-miso that I can only find in Japan that’s amazing …
Thank you for the giveaway!
This Croquette is TOO CUTE! The strangest thing I’ve ever had in my kitchen is chicken feet. My mom pawned them off on me when she heard I was making chicken stock!
I also subscribed using e-mail, [email protected]
I liked you and le creuset on fb.
I followed you both on twitter and tweeted the giveaway.
P.S. I love your blog!
I subscribed to the blog via email.
nutritional yeast or Vegemite!
I bought some saffron! That’s the most unusual ingredient now in my kitchen. I bought it because of a recipe in Clean Eating Magazine.
Did Bonus # 3, already like both
How gorgeous is that cake and the risotto? These are a lovely color. I will say that the strangest thing to enter my kitchen is durian, the really smelly spikey fruit from Asia. It smells like sweet rotting onions, but somehow I think it’s delicious :x
I tweeted about the giveaway :) and followed
Did Bonus # 2 @poodle_power
I’m not sure what the most unusual ingredient I’ve ever cooked with is….but I’ve never met a veggie I didn’t like! :) [email protected]
I liked your page and Le Creuset on facebook
Did Bonus # 1
I subscribed!
Hmm..probably raw sugar cane. So good!
I don’t think I have anything that unusual in my kitchen, maybe toasted pecan oil? I love the flavor of that.
Following on twitter and tweeted!
squash blossoms! They were so pretty, I couldn’t resist but was intimidated by how delicate they are.
I love using meyer lemons now as opposed to regular lemons.
Probably huitlacoche… (thanks so much for this lovely giveaway!)
I subscribe via email.
Not unusual, but I love tarragon.
Guess it isn’t that weird these days, but I’ve been experimenting with tempeh lately!
I like both sites on facebook
Fresh pineapple. I can’t live with that and lemons. I never used to cook with either.
Wow, that starfruit upside down cake is gorgeous! What a cool idea!
The most unusual ingredient I’ve cooked with…probably harissa.
Following you both and tweeted: https://twitter.com/saladgoddess/status/330374978023350272
I think “unusual” diminishes with time and experience. The first time I used quinoa, more than 20 years ago, it was difficult to find, and no one could pronounce it. Kale, too, and arugula were unusual back when romaine was an exotic green. And now, thanks to a SIL with gluten issues, I have things like xanthan gum and amaranth in my cupboard.
It is not so unusal now – Coconut Oil! It makes so many things more interesting – pancakes, rice, the list goes on and on. Plus we have started using it in the bathroom too! It is a great moisturizer.
most unusual ingredient….maybe vegetable rennet for cheesemaking
One of my roommates is a chef, so we often have many unique ingredients floating around our kitchen. I know they are used for cooking in more than one culture, but I was very surprised to come home one day and find a fridge full of raw chicken feet! They were on sale, apparently.