Beet Risotto with Kale

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Recently, I haven't been able to update the blog as often as I like. I've been clocking in at a temp job in the city during the day, but I can assure you that I think about food all the time. Another project at home has also been keeping us busy. It's a secret... for now, but hopefully we'll have a grand reveal soon.

I have been cooking a little bit here and there. As much as VB wants to, we can't order pizza every day. A couple of days ago, I made this devilish looking beet risotto with kale. I really like beets and wanted to put them in something other than salads. The result is this flavorful and visually stunning dish that is sweet and refreshing.

The recipe is from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Initially I had doubts about this dish, but I've never tried a recipe from that book that I wouldn't make over and over again.

Green Soup

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It's been warm here in the Bay Area for the last few days. I think I can safely say, spring is here. I want to celebrate, but I soon remembered that I am allergic to spring. Now I have to add daily doses of antihistamine and decongestant to my diet. I know, it's not the worst problem that one can have. At least I'm not allergic to food.

Speaking of spring, St. Patrick's day is upon us. I didn't have St. Patrick's day in mind when I made the soup, but it's a nice little coincidence. This recipe is from the New Laurel's Kitchen. I'm not going to post it here, but I will say that this creamy soup consists of split peas and zucchini with wilted spinach and parsley. It is smooth and velvety with complex yet refreshing flavors. It is also healthy for the dieters out there -- low in fat and calories, but has the necessary proteins and nutrients. It's the perfect soup for spring.

Kumquat Marmalade

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In fall 2008, I made some marmalade from the kumquats that I picked off my aunt's trees. The marmalade was so delicious that my aunt cleaned out her jar in a week. This year, I'm making this delicious marmalade again, but with a twist.

I used the same kumquat marmalade recipe as last time, except with some minor changes. You'll need:

• 2 pounds of kumquats
• 5 cups of water
• 4 cups of sugar
• juice from 1 lemon
• 3 Earl Grey teabags

First, clean and slice all the kumquats. Last year, I was a little too perfectionist and sliced them really thin. The resulting marmalade didn't have as many fruity bits as I liked. This year, I made thicker slices, about 4 to 5 slices per kumquat. Reserve the seeds and tie them in a cheese cloth bag.

Place the sliced kumquats and the bag containing seeds into a large non-reactive pot. Add 4 1/2 cups of water. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Steep 3 teabags in 1/2 cup of boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Bring the pot to boil. Add juice from 1 lemon and Earl Grey tea. Reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour. Do not overcook. It's pretty easy to overcook this, because it will appear watery. It's just fine if it appears runny. Add 4 cups of sugar. Stir constantly. Cook for another 30 minutes. The marmalade should have a rich amber color. It will gel slightly as you spoon it away from heat. Remove the cheese cloth bag.

At this time, the marmalade is done. It can be canned immediately. I got about three mason jars out of this recipe. Otherwise, you should refrigerate it before serving.

I can't really identify the Earl Grey tea in the final product, but it does add another dimension to this already delicious marmalade. If I get more kumquats, I would try to make this with only Earl Grey tea and no water and see where that takes me.