Comfort food and great taste are the hallmarks of Marc Murphy, who amassed a loyal following as chef/owner of Landmarc, Ditch Plains, Kingside, and Benchmarc Events (he gained even more fans as a recurring judge on Chopped). In his return visit to De Gustibus he demonstrated dishes from his cookbook, Season with Authority — which has a wealth of recipes based on contemporary French bistro and Italian trattoria fare.
Marc Murphy’s Leek Risotto recipe is below.
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken stock
- Olive oil
- 2 tbsp. (1 oz.) unsalted butter
- 2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only (from about 2 large)
- Kosher salt
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cups Arborio or other medium-grain white rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup (about 4 oz.) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more as needed
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Method
TIP: To properly and thoroughly clean leeks, here is my favorite method. Halve the leeks lengthwise and slice them thinly. Place the leeks in a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Stir the leeks in the water and let sit for 15 minutes; this will allow all the grit and dirt to sink to the bottom of the bowl. Using a spider, carefully lift the leeks out of the water (as not to disrupt the dirt on the bottom), and transfer the leeks to a paper towel. Thoroughly pat the leeks dry before using.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F; position the rack in the middle.
- In a medium sauce pot, heat the stock over medium-high heat until hot. Keep warm.
- In a medium ovenproof sauté pan, heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Heat until the butter stops foaming.
- Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until they start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and push the leeks together in a circle so they are 1 inch away from the pan’s edge.
- Cut a parchment paper circle to fit the diameter of the pan and place it over the leeks. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the leeks are soft and cooked through. Transfer the pan to a wire rack.
- While the leeks are in the oven, heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes; do not let the onion put on color.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it is coated in oil and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
- Add the wine, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it reduce, without stirring, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Add 5 cups of the chicken stock. You may not need the last cup of stock, depending on how the rice absorbs the liquid, but it is good to keep it on hand just in case. Stir once, and let the rice cook in the stock until almost all the stock has been absorbed; don’t touch the rice, just let it cook on its own.
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Add the reserved leeks and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir into the rice until combined and creamy. Divide among four to six plates and garnish with parsley leaves. Serve immediately, with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired.
(Serves 4-6)
Recipe demonstrated at De Gustibus Cooking School on Thursday, December 3, 2015. Complete menu with wine pairings below.