pancetta | the petite beet

I’ve never made risotto before, mainly because I thought it always sounded so time consuming to make. But I am happy to report that it doesn’t take that long and is totally worth the end result. The pancetta with the runny egg reminded me a little carbonara, which I love. I think my favorite thing about this recipe was that I tossed in some lemon juice and zest which ended up giving it really nice flavor.

Ingredients: (serves 2)
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 oz pancetta, chopped
1 large garlic clove
1 cup sliced leeks
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup water
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup chopped arugula
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 eggs

Start by bringing the chicken broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Keep on low.

In a heavy saucepan, cook the pancetta in a little olive oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Next, saute the garlic and leeks in the leftover pancetta drippings until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and and stir for another 1-2 minutes. Next add the the water, lemon juice and zest, and cook until liquid is absorbed. Add in 1/2 cup of the hot chicken broth and cook until liquid is absorbed, then repeat until all broth is used. You want to be stirring constantly. The rice will be soft but will still have a little firmness to it when finished. Toss in the pancetta and arugula.

To poach the eggs, boil some water in a medium sized pot. Add about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (helps make them fluffy) and swirl the water with a spoon to get a little whirlpool going before pouring the eggs in one at a time. Cook for about :30-:45 seconds before removing them with a slotted spoon. I usually lift them slightly out of the pot and gently poke the centers until it feels a little firm but runny in the center.

Plate the risotto and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and your poached egg!

I was very excited to get Brussels sprouts in my CSA this week, they’re one of my favorite things! You can do a lot with them- pizza toppings, shaved raw for salads, roasted and tossed with a buttermilk/lemon dressing (my favorite!) This time I thought I would try something new, so I made a quesadilla! It was very easy to make and perfect for a quick weeknight meal. I also smashed some roasted garlic into my Greek yogurt to use as a sour cream substitute to be a little healthier. Ingredients: Brussels sprouts (about 20 small/medium sized) shaved 1 large shallot, sliced Smoked mozzarella 2.5 ounces Pancetta Flour or whole wheat tortillas 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 2 large garlic cloves Salt and pepper, to taste Preheat the oven to 350 and roast the garlic until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove and smash into the Greek yogurt, set aside. Alternatively, you can mince the garlic and cook with a little olive oil in a pan and mix into the yogurt. I just love roasting it! To make the filling, add some olive oil to a pan cook the pancetta. Next add the onions and cook until translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add the brussel sprouts and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, place a tortilla and add some smoked mozzarella to one side, followed by the brussel sprout mixture. Fold the tortilla in half and let cook for about 1-2 minutes before carefully flipping and cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat with other tortillas. Cut in half and serve with Greek yogurt!