Appetizer with feta cheese and artichoke patè

Sometimes we need just a new idea for our parties, something easy but that can surprise our guests.
So what about this super easy recipe?

Ingredients

Four cereals bread
Feta cheese crumbled
Artichokes in oil
Balsamic vinegar of Modena glaze

Directions
Toast the bread. In a mixer put the artichokes and mix for a couple of minutes. Then spread the artichokes patè on the toasted bread, sprinkle a little of feta cheese crumbled and a few drops of vinegar  glaze. That's it!

Easy, quick and absolutely delicious!

Saffron risotto

A perfect sunday lunch with some american friends, I prepared suffron risotto and they were very happy to see a demo of the preparation. The tip for a good risotto is listening its sound, it changes during the preparation and can really help you!

Ingredients (for 4 people)

For the risotto:

450 g Arborio rice

Saffron

1 glass of white wine

Vegetable broth

Half white onion

20 g Butter

2 tbsp Parmesan

5 tbsp extra virgin oil 

Salt

For the broth:

1 tomato

1 potato

1 carrot

half white onion

2 liters of water

First of all: prepare the broth. Put into a pot about 2 liters of water, the cleaned tomato, the carrot without the peel, the half onion and the peeled potato. Boil for about 1 hour and half. 

Reheat an half cup of water and put in it the saffron pistils for about 2 hours. 

In a pan put in the extra virgin oil, when the oil is warm add the chopped onion. Wait less then 1 minute and add the arborio rice, toast it for a couple of minute stirring continuously, then add the glass of white wine and wait that the alcohol evaporates and then add two cup of broth (just broth with no vegetables, if you want you can strain it before beginning with the risotto preparation).

Repeat this operation (adding a little of broth) until the rice is almost ready, now add the water of saffron and stir, wait one minute until the yellow water will be taken up. 

Now turn off the fire and add the parmesan and butter and stir, when you see the risotto is perfectly compact, it's ready. 

Buon appetito!

Avocado shrimp boats

Yesterday I took part in an amazing cooking class with Chef Laura and Linda of The Italian Wooden Spoon  at the Kitchen Chick shop in Galveston. It was a really funny night, my dish was a sort of bonus dish, because my presence was a surprise for the attendants at the class!
I prepared the avocado shrimp boats, a recipe that my mother gave me and that now I am glad to share with you!

Me while I am cooking

Chef Laura, Linda and me

Chef Laura with her beautiful belly!

 Chef Laura with one of the attendant

Ingredients:
2 avocados
2 cup cooked and peel cocktail shrimp
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tsp of worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp of lemon juice
1 julienne carrot (optional)

Directions

Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed and  trim around leaving around half inch from the peel.
In a bowl mix in this order: mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, optional julienne carrot and the shrimps.
Add now the avocado pulp (cut into small cubes), mix it all.
Fill half avocado with the mixture.

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