No, that claw is not a scary Halloween trick. Look closer; it's actually a very tasty treat.

Because the price of lobster is so low right now -- almost half of what it was more than a year ago -- the bloggers over at REC(cession)IPES were able to add a little luxury to this simple, creamy risotto, made with arborio rice, olive oil, butter, onions, shallots and white wine. Plus, the lobster adds a much-needed burst of color to what can often be a very monochromatic dish.

Come to think of it, should you want to try this at home, there may actually be a little trick to achieving these picturesque results. As REC(cession)IPES points out, it's only live lobster that's so cheap right now. So unless you can bring yourself to butcher your own crustacean (think Julie Powell in "Julie & Julia"), you may have to settle for just feasting only your eyes on this lovely lobster risotto.

Photo: Sarah LeTrent.

Risotto, the preeminent comfort dish of the Milanese, gets rich red-wine depth.

Traditionally a very simple Italian dish, when risotto is coupled with top-notch red wine and beef broth, it becomes something quite dignified. Parmesan adds a delightfully salty tang to the finished product.

Despite its reputation as a "restaurant dish," it's not difficult to make a good risotto. You do have to give it constant attention -- risotto is an act of love. When cooking for one, it's calming, even therapeutic after a long day of work, to stand over the stove and stir. And the idea of enjoying a glass of the leftover wine while tending to the risotto on a cool autumn night is a way to schedule some "me time" into a busy week.

Risotto, like polenta and grits, is one of those dishes to which the maxim "patience is a virtue" is frequently applied. And this photo, taken by Elise at Simply Recipes, beautifully illustrates why. A bowl of creamy, nutty grains of perfectly cooked rice, crowned with mushrooms that have been sautéed and cooked in cognac and cream, is glorious payoff for the constant care that risotto requires. While the idea adding cup after cup of stock to a pot of slowly cooking rice may not be everyone's idea of fun, results such as this one prove -- to borrow yet another maxim -- that good things do indeed come to those who wait.

[Via Simply Recipes]

Risotto tastes more savory with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Rice and cheese can be a rich and lusciously creamy combination. For this reason, Supplì al Telefono, fried rice balls stuffed with mozzarella, is one of my favorite Roman dishes. Its rich taste and mouthwatering texture are an intense culinary delight.

Supplì al Telefono is often made with both Parmigiano and mozzarella. I first tried it at a restaurant in Piazza del Popolo, in Rome. I was pleasantly overwhelmed with cheese and rice. I would hardly compare these balls of cheese to American mozzarella sticks. The addition of rissoto and oregano creates a totally unique aromatic milky texture. In his book Molto Italiano, Mario Batali states "These suppli' have a cult that is all their own; you will find us strutting down the streets of the Eternal City, stretching strings of mozzarella from our hands to our gluttonous mouths."

While you can find this Roman gastronomic treat at several Italian restaurants, it's easy enough to make on your own. And, you can make several different variations. Gourmet has a recipe that uses mushroom risotto. Mario Batali's recipe calls for porcini mushrooms, prosciutto, and San Marzano tomatoes. Supplì al Telefono are the perfect appetizer when entertaining. Next time, you're thinking of eating a melted cheese dish, take out your leftover risotto and concoct these stuffed rice balls.

As much as I adore my job, I tend to get the Sunday evening blues and have found as of late that labor-intensive cooking projects prove to be wonderfully soothing. It might be a bread knead, a painstakingly crimped lard crust pie, or, as it's manifested for the second week in a row, a unexpectedly soul-stirring risotto. Emphasis is on the "stirring" part, I assure you, as two times now, I've darned near sprained a forearm muscle with the non-stop drag of the wooden spoon through the ever-thickening starch. It's worth it, though -- the constant, meditative motion -- when it suddenly, palpably, audibly even, transforms the individual rice grains into a sumptuous, silken mass. It's the sort of culinary alchemy that transforms me from a solitary kitchen wretch into someone who suddenly wants to feed everyone she's ever met.

Last week's Acorn Squash Risotto from Mario Batali's Molto Italiano cookbook was a rousing success with my husband, as evidenced by this habitual leftover-snubber's willingness to dig back in on subsequent weeknights. This week's pulled pork variation, made on a whim, was a hearty treat tonight, and I've got a sneaking suspicion the flavors will meld well over the next few days.

Try for yourself. My Pulled Pork Risotto recipe is after the jump, and if you've got any soothing cooking rituals you'd like to share, I'd be more than grateful to hear about 'em.

Part of the New York Time's Recipes for Health series, this risotto recipe can be made almost entirely with food found in the average American pantry: Canned tuna, chicken or vegetable stock, garlic, parsley, onion, anchovy fillets, canned tomatoes, white wine and frozen peas.

Risotto is one of my favorite weekday dinners. It's simple to make - just saute some onions and garlic, add rice, slowly stir in stock, then toss in whatever vegetables, meats or seafood float your boat. Though it is time-consuming - you have to stand over the stove stirring for about 20 minutes - I find it rather relaxing. My favorite variation involves sauteed button mushrooms and dried porcinis, but I'm going to have to try this tuna variation. I'd skip the peas (not a fan) and toss in some diced green peppers instead.

I just couldn't resist this double-whammy today. I love recipes that have ingredient twists, and how can you go wrong with adding a little beetroot to your dinner? Now, for those of us in North America, we might not be able to get kangaroo prosciutto, but I imagine that the classic kind would work just as well. (Has anyone had kanga prosciutto? Is there much different in flavor?)

I've been meaning to get more into the world of risotto, and this recipe looks so easy that I just might start here. But I'd also love to hear from you: what twists do you use in your own risotto recipes?

I am a sucker for risotto. There's nothing like the creamy toothsomeness of cooked arborio rice to really set my heart afluttering with joy. I'm also a huge fan of butternut squash and kale. Happily, I just stumbled across a recipe that all those items into a single, hunger-inducing dish.

This recipe is over at GastroKid, so it's designed as a way for parents to help their kids eat and enjoy their veggies. However, I don't think anyone is going to get mad at me if I make it with nary a kid in sight.

Last Saturday, I had an opportunity to help a friend do some cooking for a dinner party. We had a terrific time in the kitchen, but the stand out moment was when I got a chance to taste the Risotto with Butternut Squash and Leeks we made (thankfully I was able to get her to confess that the recipe was from Epicurious). It was one of those dishes that makes time stop for just a moment, as your taste buds struggle to identify the chorus of delicious flavors before giving up and simply surrendering to the rapture of the moment. It was that good.

So good, in fact, that I decided I had to make it for myself so that I could have more than a few bites. I stirred it up Monday night, in my bright green knock-off Le Creuset pot. I couldn't wait for the rice to cook, knowing that I would soon have an entire pot of heaven all to myself. Finally, when it was all done, I served up an indulgently large bowl and settled down at the table with a spoon and book. It was so good. Perfect for a fall dinner party or for just eating by yourself, on a Monday night, when you want to be just a little extra nice* to yourself.

*I omitted the whipping cream. I like to treat myself, but I do not need to eat a half cup of whipping cream by myself this week.

• Instead of lettuce, try some hearty, leafy vegetables.
• These contractors not only remodel your kitchen, they'll cook you a meal.
• Right now, people running in tomorrow's Boston Marathon are probably eating a lot of carbs.
• The 2007/08 Zagat Guide to Boston restaurants has a new look.
• It's cookie time for Boston Red Sox fans.
• This week's recipes: Fresh Fruit Tart, Pan-Broiled Salmon, String Cheese and Avocado Salad, Lemony Oven-Roasted Potatoes, and Chicken Sausage, Mushroom, and Raisin Risotto.

Hot, comforting and filling, risotto is comfort food - albeit one that is a cut above a casserole or other hearty, quick-fix dish. It is not that risotto is difficult to make, but the thing that makes it special is the slow cooking and constant stirring that develops the creamy texture that is so satisfying. This Risotto with Smoked Mozzarella and Radicchio was made by Tami, from Running with Tweezers for the food blogging event, Hay Hay It's Donna Day, in which variations of Donna Hay recipes are celebrated by bloggers. This particular variation on a basic risotto comes from Food & Wine magazine. While many risottos use Parmesan as the main cheese, this one gets a deeply satisfying flavor and creamier than usual texture from smoked mozzarella cheese. The richness of such a cheesy dish is cut by the slightly bitter crunch of radicchio. The wonderful thing about risotto is that there are so many ingredients that can be used to make it that it can really be customized to your preferences. It is just a matter of getting down the basic technique and being willing to commit a few extra minutes to stirring.

We are heading inexorably towards fall and I, for one, am not disappointed. While summer is a wonderful season with its incredible array of fresh fruits and vegetables, there seems to be a greater appreciation of food as the weather gets colder and meals get heartier. Combining some of the end-of-summer tomatoes with fall flavors in a dish to bridge the seasons, Stephen, of Stephen Cooks, stirred up this Pumpkin Risotto with Sage and Cherry Tomatoes. The exceptional thing about this flavorful comfort food is its fantastic color, a warm orange that invites you to take a taste. I think that it was a clever choice on Stephen's part to leave the pumpkin in large pieces rather than simply allowing them to melt into the risotto, which would have given the dish a smoother look, but a less visually appealing presentation.

Peruvian cuisine's myriad roots, including Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, African and Italian, make it one of the world's first fusion cuisines. It's also highly regarded. Famed French chef Escoffier ranked it third after French and Chinese. It's certainly in my Top 10.

Last spring the Peruvian government announced plans to popularize Peruvian cuisine in the U.S. "We want our food to be as well known as Thai is in this country. ... We want Peruvian restaurants everywhere," Alejandro Riveros the head of public diplomacy for the Embassy of Peru, told The Washington Post.

The above video by Prom Peru, the country's tourism board, is part of the publicity effort. It's loaded with stunning shots of the Andes and the country's coast all set to traditional music.

 
The Amateur Gourmet – who is fast becoming my personal favorite food blogger – not only made a gorgeous asparagus risotto the other day, but now he's taking us through the process of using up the leftovers to make Arancini. The name literally translates to (I think) "little oranges", which is an apt if confusing descriptor for what are essentially fried risotto balls. TAG actually deep-fried these, but I often cook them in a skillet in copious amounts of French butter. Mostly because I cook everything in copious amounts of French butter.

Let's face it -- making risotto is a pain in the ass. Even if you're just making a small batch in a small pan for a small meal, it's just one of those things that, from start to finish, requires constant attention. So even though I love, love, love it, especially as a one-dish meal at the end of a winter day, I tend to only really make it on special occasions. The great thing about special occasions, is that they tend to also include wine, and the really special ones -- basically, the only occasions on which I might be conviced to stir a pan of broth and rice for 45 minutes -- include champagne. So essentially what I'm saying is this: I like to use champagne to make risotto. Is there a problem with that?

Essentially, you simply reduce the level of stock in the recipe by about a cup. The champagne should be the first liquid you add after you've sauteed the arborio with onions or garlic or shallots or whatever you've decided to use. You'll deglaze the pan with about 8 ounces of it, and then immediately turn the heat almost all the way down. Once the wine evaporates, you can just continue slowly stirring in hot stock until the grains are tender. The champagne alters the taste and texture of the finished dish in a subtle but remarkable way, and as far as adding additional flavors, you can't go wrong with truffles. But here's how I fell in love with champagne risotto: try garnishing the finished dish with with thinly sliced strawberries and a generous drizzle of brown butter.