"Italians seem to never die. They eat olive oil all day long,
and that's what does it." - William Kennedy
❤ ❤ ❤
After almost a week of eating strictly pudding, Jell-O, and homemade juice… I am hungry!
Having one’s wisdom teeth taken out is no small feat. I remember a few years ago when I had four extractions before getting braces. I thought that was tough… boy, was I wrong!
Despite the fact that extraction processes are quite similar, the healing process and pain level intensifies when it comes to the removal of wisdom teeth. Thankfully, I haven’t had any bruising and the jaw stiffness isn't too monumental. That said, I am super sad about my super sad liquid diet :(
Sure, I might have lost four pounds, but was it worth it? I’m not sure I’m convinced.
It’s funny how you take for granted all the wonderfully crunchy, #decadently chewy and gooey foods that there are! No nuts could be crunched on, no dried figs feasted upon, and even more tragically, crispy French fries to comfort me during these dark days.
But, that’s okay because slowly, I am starting to introduce more versatile foods back into my diet, which means I can finally start eating foods with a bit o’ bite!
Glad that I could finally get back into the kitchen after a few days of R&R, I jumped at the chance to make dinner. Unluckily for me, our fridge has been poorly stocked if you don’t consider all the soft foods and clear liquids!
Nevertheless, I stumbled upon a container of assorted marinated olives and quite honestly, was inspired… Yup, that’s about all it’ll take!
Already pitted and mess-free, incorporating olives into a dish was a no-brainer. Not to mention that it was also an awesome option for me (easy to chew), as well as the rest of the family (are very delicious)!
Using #risotto as my blank canvas, I worked to create a culinary masterpiece that comes alive with the addition of savoury rosemary, organic garlic the size of my fist, and my tried and true favourite, grainy mustard!
BTW, when I tell you that the garlic I used was huge, trust me!
Look at it!
I went to a sort of food market a few weeks ago and bought several bulbs of different varieties before being gifted this ginormous bulb as a result of my serious love of garlic!
Anyways, after prepping and chopping and sautéing and stirring, my olive risotto started to take form. Creamy, comforting, and colourful, I can promise you that this #oliverisotto is sure to be a favourite… for both the recovering wisdom tooth patient or the classic hungry person!
❤ ❤ ❤
Olive Risotto
* Makes four generous servings *
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
½ white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp grainy mustard
½ cup mixed olives, roughly chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp rosemary
Pinch of salt, pepper, chilli flakes
1 ½ cup risotto
1 cup white wine (I used an inexpensive Pinot Grigio)
3 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
METHOD
In a skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until tender.
Stir in mustard, olives and spices sauté for 2 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Add the wine, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated.
Slowly add 1 cup of broth and stir until the rice has absorbed it. Keep adding the broth slowly to the rice, stirring frequently.
Cook until the rice is al dente (tender but not mushy).
Stir in Parmigiano before enjoying immediately!
❤ ❤ ❤
Let me know what you guys think!