Ski and Thermomix update from Portes du Soleil

 

I've just returned from a death run in the fog and snow. It was only -15 °C on the thermometer but with the wind chill factor it felt like -26 °C. My husband suggested we ski down to Grand Paradis to get out of the fog and wind. Well it was far from fun, unless you're into skiing on ice and half blind in fog and snow. After skiing, I needed some comfort food, and luckily there was some pumpkin risotto, left over from last night's dinner, in the fridge. 

I often use this risotto recipe from Antonella Botrugno-Manco. It's a great basic recipe, and the pumpkin can be replaced with asparagus, mushrooms, other vegetables of your choice or seafood .  


Pumpkin risotto
150 g pumpkin
300 g risotto rice    
1 onion  
40 g olive oil
40 g butter  
40 g Parmesan cheese (optional, extra Parmesan cheese if desired)
10 g parsley
75 g dry white wine  
Salt (about 1 tsp, this also depends how much vegetable stock concentrate you add)
700 g vegetable stock (700 g water plus 1 to 2 tsp of vegetable stock concentrate)
freshly grated pepper and extra Parmesan cheese 

1. Place Parmesan into the TM bowl, chop for 10 seconds, speed 9-10. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
2. Place parsley into the TM bowl, chop for 5-8 seconds, speed 5.  Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
3. Place onion into the TM bowl, chop for 5 seconds, speed 7.  
4. Add olive oil, sauté for 2 - 3 minutes, 100 ° C, Speed 1. 
5. Add peeled and chopped pumpkin, sauté other 2 minutes, 100 ° C, Speed 4-5.
6. Add rice and sauté for 2 minutes, 100 ° C, reverse, Speed 1. 
7. Add wine and sauté 1 minute, 100 ° C, Speed 2, without measuring cup (MC) in place.
8. Add water, stock concentrate, salt, cook for 13-15 minutes, reverse, Varoma, Speed 1 (if necessary place the TM sieve/basket on top of the TM lid to avoid splattering).
9. Add cheese, parsley and butter, mix for 5-10 seconds, reverse,  Speed 2-3.
10. Taste for seasoning, if desired add extra salt, pepper and cheese.

Transfer the risotto to a thermo-serving dish (I have this one from IKEA, it looks ok and better still it's only 19.95 SFr).

I sat with my risotto in front of a blazing fire. So good........

Thermomix joins us for a ski break in Portes du Soleil

We're back in one our favorite places, La Planachaux, in Portes du Soleil. I've lost track of exactly how long we've been coming here to Chalet Coquoz. We're in a no car place about 100 meters below the top cable station of Champery. It's wonderful to be able to step out the door and ski, but it also means we have to cook in the evenings, as there aren't any restaurants close by. This year I decided to bring my Thermomix along for ski hol's. The travel bag, which is an optional extra, but really worth the 6o or 70  SFr.-, is brilliant for transporting the TM. My cousin recently took a Thermomix in its travel bag as cabin luggage  from Zürich to Sydney. Very pleased with myself, it was such a brilliant idea to throw the TM in with all our bags and skis. We skied down from the top of La Planachaux and Agnes's son of  Restaurant Coquoz, brought our boxes of food and luggage from the top of the cable car, to our front door on his snow mobile.

The TM has been very busy in the mornings making perfectly boiled soft eggs, numerous types of bread and gallons of smoothies.

I loved these rosemary and garlic cheesy scones which we had for afternoon tea the other day, (the recipe from Busterman is posted on TM forum).