Amber and I will be taking turns posting the fruits of our culinary labor, and so it is that I take my turn first.

Here it goes:

Pear-Topped Ham Steak

1 can (15 -1/4 oz) sliced pears
1 fully cooked ham steak (about 1 lb and 1/2 inch thick)
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cold water
1 to 3 teaspoons snipped fresh mint

Drain pears, reserving the juice; set the pears and juice aside. In a skillet, brown the ham steak on both sides in oil; remove and keep warm. Drain the skillet.

Combine cornstarch, ginger and water until smooth; stir in reserved pear juice. Add to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add ham and reserved pears; heat through. Sprinkle with mint. Yield: 4 servings.




This part is super easy. I was a little worried at first that the ginger would be too strong, because once it was added to the skillet, the aroma was more perfume then food. That said, it mellows out considerably.


Creamy Mushroom Risotto

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups water
1 tablespoon Herb-Ox chicken flavored Bouillon granules
1/2 cup sherry or white cooking wine
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Diced fresh tomato (optional)

Heat oil in a large saucepan; saute mushrooms, onion, carrots and garlic until onion is tender. Add uncooked rice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until rice is golden brown.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, bring water, bouillon granules, and cooking wine to a boil. Slowly add 1 cup of the broth to the rice mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Continue to add 1/2 cup of broth at a time to rice mixture, stirring constantly, until all broth has been added and absorbed and the rice mixture is creamy. Add cheeses and stir until well blended. Garnish with fresh parsley and diced tomato, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

The big mistake here was the rice choice. This was our first risotto, and I didn't think anything of substituting long-grain white rice for Arborio rice. It turns out those snobby Italians actually know a thing or two. The flavor of this dish was great. The texture was smooth and creamy...until you bit into it, then it was crunchy. Next time we'll be sure to use the right rice, and it should absorb a lot more of the liquid and release more starch, which should make the whole thing better.

Overall, not too bad. I call it a success. Ring the bell!