Combining flavors

[Alex.cam]

hello all,

I am cooking for 6 people this weekend and wanted to do something really tasty. My antree and desert are set. But for the main dish I want to do something like chicken wings with coke (chinese recipe) and risotto with spinach and mushrooms. I ha ve not tryed this combination before and don't know how they will work out as both dishes are sweet. I was thinking about spicing up the risotto but I don't know what ingredients to use to do that. Alternatively I could do marinated chicken but I don't have a good and easy and certain to work with the risotto for that either. I had the Cola wings froma chinese friend and he combined them with some spicy chinese white beans. However I fill that will not fill the plate enough. Any thoughts on how to get a tasty dish from mushroom and spinach risotto and chicken?

[Luca Lazzari]

Originally Posted by Alex.cam

hello all,

I am cooking for 6 people this weekend and wanted to do something really tasty. My antree and desert are set. But for the main dish I want to do something like chicken wings with coke (chinese recipe) and risotto with spinach and mushrooms. I ha ve not tryed this combination before and don't know how they will work out as both dishes are sweet. I was thinking about spicing up the risotto but I don't know what ingredients to use to do that. Alternatively I could do marinated chicken but I don't have a good and easy and certain to work with the risotto for that either. I had the Cola wings froma chinese friend and he combined them with some spicy chinese white beans. However I fill that will not fill the plate enough. Any thoughts on how to get a tasty dish from mushroom and spinach risotto and chicken?

Alex.cam, what are you going to serve as entrée? Just curious...
For the sweet risotto, you could drop the spinach, keep the mushrooms, put in some roughly minced sausage, end it with grated pecorino. Here is another thread in this forum (blatant self-promoting attempt with photos) http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...age-74611.html

If you do want to keep spinach, I cannot think of a proper solution, maybe just try adding some good old grated pecorino to spice it up a little.

[Alex.cam]

Well that would be the problem. I have spicy sausage and sweet potato soup. One of my friends' favourite. (plus the crowd is used to meaty stuff). But I wouldn't want the risotto to have meat in it either as it will be served with chicken, probably I'll decorate with boiled carrot from the soup and asparagus. But my main concern is that the risotto won't go well with the sweet and sour chicken. I think the spinach is tingy enough to make the rice less sweet. My point is i need a good mix of ingredients for the risotto? how to make it exactly? how much salt? maybe jalapeno peppers, garlic? what else?

[Souvlaki]

Spinach rissoto is spiced with 1/2 up tp 1 teaspoon red hot paprika here in Greece , add 1/2 cup of fresh dill chopped to make flavors more interesting and serve it with plain yogurt on the side

Have fun with your cooking :) i always am happy when i have friends coming over