for some simple shit that looks and tastes impressive, learn how to do a simple risotto:
ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice (make sure you get arborio rice, makes all the difference and it's not much more than regular rice)
1 small yellow onion
about 4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
5 cups chicken broth
chop up the yellow onion fairly fine.
how to chop onion:
cut of both ends.
stand on now flat end.
cut in half.
take off paper outer peel.
put each half flat on cutting board.
cut lengthwise without cutting through the end.
cut width wise and you have small pieces now.
doing it the right way makes it fast and easy and you will be more likely to cook if its fast and easy.
here's a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OZaKozS ... re=related
ignore the part where he cuts horizontally first, the horizontal cut is not needed because the onion is already naturally separated by layers on that plane.
put all of the chicken broth in a pot and get it simmering on your stove.
(a simmer is just steaming hot without boiling)
put the tablespoon of vegetable oil in a deep pan, at least 12" wide.
heat that shit up on med to med high heat.
throw in the onion and cook until it starts getting soft and slightly more golden colored. Maybe 5 minutes.
throw in a tablespoon of butter and melt it.
put in the raw arborio rice and stir it around so that the oil and butter coats it, keep stirring for about 2 minutes.
increase the heat a bit and add a ladle full of the simmering broth.
the heat should be hot enough that the broth starts boiling when it hits the pan.
when the ladle full has boiled away, add another ladle full of broth.
keep doing this and stirring until you're out of broth.
add the cheese and the rest of the butter and stir it up.
serve that shit.
i promise it's easy and good. When done right, the rice should have a little bit of bite to its center. not entirely cooked like regular rice.
this is really good with asparagus or green beans in it. If you want to do it that way, cut your asparaus or green beans and then put in boiling water for about 3 minutes and the drain. add them to the pan right after the onions are almost done then proceed as normal for the rest of the process.
this is a great side for something else simple, like a simple chicken breast:
two boneless chicken breast fillets.
One really large onion. white or yellow, no red.
some fresh rosemary.
salt
pepper
one bottle dry white wine.
one lemon.
two tablespoon butter
one tablespoon veg oil
trim the fat off the fillets and put them on a piece of wax paper.
fold the wax paper over the breasts and pound those shits with a mallet.
you pound them so they are an even thickness and so that they suck up the flavors better.
chop up your onion. But chop it thick this time. no need to make any scoring cuts, just cut off the ends, chop in half, remove peel, and cut against the grain getting half inch wide slices.
take the rosemary leaves off the stalk. Get about 2 tablespoons worth.
juice the lemon.
now, put a big pan on the stove and heat that shit up to med hi heat with the oil and butter in it.
when it's hot, but the oil is not smoking, put the fillets in smooth side down. shit should sizzle.
throw the onion in.
throw half the rosemary on top of the fillets.
put some salt and pepper on those shits.
cook about 7 minutes on that side, then pour the lemon juice in to unstick the fuckers and turn them with tongs.
put the rest of the rosemary on top and salt and pepper again.
cook for 7 minutes on the last side.
turn up the heat, throw in some wine, maybe about a full glass worth, and stir that shit around until the wine is almost all gone.
if you got it right, the whole thing should be browned and the onions should be kind of carmalized in there.
really good shit.
throw em on a plate with your risotto and serve it.
if you want to really blow minds and clog arteries, cook two strips of bacon in the pan and instead of using vegetable oil cook the chicken in bacon fat and butter. then at the end crumble and add the bacon after you cook off the wine.
just give it a try, it's really easy and really good.
and once you can cook one thing, you'll want to learn more. It gets easier and easier as you progress.
.lm.