Murray's Cheese Shop is one of those institutions in New York that is spoken of as the authority on all things for fermented dairy, much like the cheese counter at Fairway. I made sure that my sister was fully prepared to enter this notable establishment. She's often told me that cheese is one of hers and her boyfriend's food loves. I wanted to make sure that she enjoyed her visit.She wasted no time in making her selections after a brief perusal. On the first time in the shop, it can be a bit overwhelming to see all the different varieties, but the staff is always helpful to offer recommendations and to provide samples. The cheeses are well labeled as to where they are from and how they might taste.
My sister grabbed several kinds of soft and hard cheeses as well as some salami to take back with her. Murray's also has various hard sausages, cured meats, honeys, and dried fruits for sale that pair well with their other wares. In addition, the shop sells ice packs to keep everything cool for the journey back home.
We'd had kind of a large lunch that day at one of my favorite Turkish restaurants. My sister and I both wanted something a bit simpler for dinner. She had suggested a dish that she'd had when visiting me in Italy: Risotto alla Gorgonzola. I'd never made this, but the sampling of blue cheeses at Murray's inspired me to attempt it.
Based upon my sister's description of the dish and my own experience in making risotto, I could guess at the kind of cheese that was used. Gorgonzola is not as simple as it might seem. There are various versions from softer and creamy (younger) to more pungent and crumblier (older or more aged). It is made in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Italy, which are in the North. For the dish that I made, I used two different types: a Gorgonzola-Mascarpone layered type and a creamy Gorgonzola. These melted well into the risotto and gave it a richness with a subtle and not too overwhelming blue cheese finish.
Gorgonzola and Mascarpone in layers
Creamy Gorgonzola
Risotto alla Gorgonzola
Serving Size: 4 appetizer portions or 2 main dish portions
Prep Time: about an hour
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 c. finely minced yellow onion
1 Tbsp. finely minced garlic
1 c. carnaroli rice
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 c. low-sodium chicken stock (warmed)
1/8 lb. Gorgonzola-Mascarpone layered torta
1/8 lb. soft Gorgonzola (called Dolce or Cremificato), cut into small cubes
1 pinch salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Assembly:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter until foamy over low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching carefully so that it doesn't get browned or burnt. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more so that it is softened and the onion is translucent. The onion and garlic are meant to melt into the finished dish so that they don't stand out against the rice.
Add the rice and stir to make sure that each grain is coated with the buttery liquid. Cook for 30 seconds before adding the wine. Stir to incorporate the wine and cook until it is just about completely absorbed into the rice. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of the warm chicken stock and incorporate it into the rice mixture.
Continue to add the stock several tablespoons at a time, stirring completely and waiting for the liquid to be completely absorbed before pouring in the next bit of stock. As the cooking continues, you will see the starch being released from the rice and the grains becoming tender and creamy. When there is about a quarter of a cup of liquid left, you might want to taste the rice to test the texture. It should be almost al dente. Finish adding in the rest of the stock and cook until it has been completely absorbed.
Once all the liquid has been incorporated, you can turn off the heat. Break up the Gorgonzola-Mascarpone and stir to blend thoroughly, leaving no lumps of cheese. Next, add the creamy Gorgonzola and stir to blend completely into the rice. The heat from the rice will melt the cheeses. After they've all been mixed in together, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley.
Buon appetito!
Serving Size: 4 appetizer portions or 2 main dish portions
Prep Time: about an hour
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 c. finely minced yellow onion
1 Tbsp. finely minced garlic
1 c. carnaroli rice
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 c. low-sodium chicken stock (warmed)
1/8 lb. Gorgonzola-Mascarpone layered torta
1/8 lb. soft Gorgonzola (called Dolce or Cremificato), cut into small cubes
1 pinch salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Assembly:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter until foamy over low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and watching carefully so that it doesn't get browned or burnt. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more so that it is softened and the onion is translucent. The onion and garlic are meant to melt into the finished dish so that they don't stand out against the rice.
Add the rice and stir to make sure that each grain is coated with the buttery liquid. Cook for 30 seconds before adding the wine. Stir to incorporate the wine and cook until it is just about completely absorbed into the rice. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of the warm chicken stock and incorporate it into the rice mixture.
Continue to add the stock several tablespoons at a time, stirring completely and waiting for the liquid to be completely absorbed before pouring in the next bit of stock. As the cooking continues, you will see the starch being released from the rice and the grains becoming tender and creamy. When there is about a quarter of a cup of liquid left, you might want to taste the rice to test the texture. It should be almost al dente. Finish adding in the rest of the stock and cook until it has been completely absorbed.
Once all the liquid has been incorporated, you can turn off the heat. Break up the Gorgonzola-Mascarpone and stir to blend thoroughly, leaving no lumps of cheese. Next, add the creamy Gorgonzola and stir to blend completely into the rice. The heat from the rice will melt the cheeses. After they've all been mixed in together, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley.
Buon appetito!
No comments:
Post a Comment