Rosemary-Garlic Grilled Trout with Tomato Mozzarella Risotto and Mushroom and Chestnut Soup

Any meal that includes risotto is a good one. Right? And when you add in a soup that has 'mushroom' in the name and some freshly grilled fish with herbs there is really nothing else better for dinner. Just pair it with some wine, toss on some slippers and sweatpants, and get a good movie going on your TV for the perfect evening.

Single? Make this meal when you want to impress your date. The fish is relatively easy to make, giving you extra time to spend on the soup and risotto. The flavors are simple yet unique, making the meal memorable. And risotto and soup are time-intensive enough to inspire true awe without leaving you a slave to the stove for the entire day. So save this one for the dates you want to impress... don't waste this one unless you're willing to put in some effort!

Time: 90 minutes
Difficulty: medium
Drink: Pinot Grigio or Shiraz (although Trout typically pairs well with white wine the richness of the risotto and soup support a light red such as a Shiraz)

Mushroom and Chestnut Soup

Chestnuts evoke everything good about winter.  Think of big fires, snow outside, and curling up with hot chocolate and friends or family in the warmth of a house or lodge after gallivanting in the snow...  that's what I imagine when it comes to chestnuts.  That or winter in NYC and purchasing them on the street after shopping, playing in Central Park, or hitting up a Broadway show.  And who doesn't want to imagine all of those things, especially when it's actually dreary outside and you're dreading slipping on the ice on the way to work the next morning?

In this case, chestnuts pair especially well with mushrooms.  The meaty flavor of the exotic mushrooms pairs with the sweet but rich flavor of the chestnuts for a marvelous soup that is both light and hearty all at the same time.

Ingredients:
Olive oil
12 oz cremini mushrooms
3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms
3.5 oz other mushrooms (I used Baby Bella but Oyster or Morel are good too)
Shallots
Garlic
Chicken or Vegetable Broth
Roasted Chestnuts
Thyme
Black Pepper
(basis of this soup comes from Cooking Light)

First, a quick note about the mushrooms. I put approximate amounts of the kinds I used above but you can substitute any of your favorite varieties here. As long as your total amount of mushrooms remains approximately the same you should be good to go, so feel free to substitute in your favorites!

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a very large pan (will have all of soup in it before long) over medium to medium high heat. Wash and chop up all of your mushrooms and add them. Stir frequently to avoid burning and saute for 12-15 minutes or until the mushrooms are wilted and excess liquid has evaporated.

As the mushrooms are sauteing you can chop up your shallots. Dice up about 2-3 tablespoons of shallots and add them to the pan after the 15 minutes described above. Continuing to stir frequently, saute them for another 3 minutes. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Now, scoop out about 1/2 - 3/4 of the mushroom mixture and set aside.

Add 2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth, 2 cups water, a jar of roasted chestnuts (about 1 cup), and a few Thyme sprigs to the pan. Vegetable broth works quite well if you are a vegetarian but if you are not the Chicken broth adds a meaty flavor that pairs excellently with the mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat so it stays simmering and let let the soup simmer for about 45 minutes. During this time you only have to stir every 10 minutes or so and can concentrate on getting your risotto up and running.

At the end of that period your soup should have boiled down slightly and be slightly thicker although it might not be very noticeable. Remove the Thyme sprigs and discard them. Using a blender, pour the soup into it in batches and puree it. Return the soup to the pan after it is pureed. I prefer to puree enough to get rid of any large chunks of chestnut or mushroom but do not want my soup completely fine. I prefer to leave some small bits of mushroom and chestnut and just pulse the blender enough to get there. You can choose to leave your soup chunkier or smoother.

Once the soup is all back in the pan add about 1 teaspoon of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt if you absolutely must (I didn't.) Pour the mushrooms you saved initially back over the top of the soup for a pretty presentation.

Tomato Mozzarella Risotto
Risottos have fast become a staple of my kitchen and I look forward to making them in every variety. This time I decided to make a risotto as a side dish to my trout and soup. The thickness of the risotto paired well with the soup while the delicate but creamy taste augmented the trout perfectly.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Onion
Arborio Rice (or other risotto rice)
White wine
Vegetable Broth
Cherry Tomatoes
Mozzarella
Black Pepper

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add diced onions (about 1/2 or 3/4 cup) to the pan. Stir to avoid burning and saute for about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of uncooked Arborio rice or another short-grained rice that can be used for risotto. Stir constantly, allowing the rice to coat with oil, for about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of wine. Stir frequently until the rice has completely absorbed the wine.

Now you'll want to use about 4 cups of warm or hot vegetable broth (cold doesn't allow the starch to come out as well) over the next portion of this recipe. Add just 1/2 a cup at a time to your rice. Stir frequently, nearly constantly, and do not add the next 1/2 cup until the the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. Continue until you have gone through all 4 cups of liquid.

Add halved cherry tomatoes. I added about 1.5 or 2 cups of the halved tomatoes (1 carton). Mix well. Add fat-free or low-fat mozzarella cheese (shredded) and stir until it has melted. Add black pepper and stir well. As soon as the tomato, pepper, and mozzarella are mixed in and the mozzarella has melted remove from the heat and enjoy.

Rosemary-Garlic Grilled Trout
And, finally, it's time for your entree. But after a time intensive period of making your soup and risotto (hopefully you made the risotto as your soup is cooking and you can whip this fish up together when you're midway through the risotto) this part will go quite quickly.

Ingredients:
Trout
Garlic
Olive Oil
Rosemary

Get your grill (or Foreman grill) heating to medium high or the correct temperature. (Check if you have a guide to find out what temperature fish should be at since this can vary.)

Place your trout fillets side by side. Using a brush (or spoon if you do not have a cooking brush) rub about 1/8 of a teaspoon of olive oil on each fillet. Then, using about 1 garlic clove for every 2 fillets, mince your garlic and rub it evenly over the fillets. Wash your rosemary sprigs and pull the long leaves off the stems. Place the leaves on top of the fillets as well.

Put your fish on the grill and repeat on the other side. Cook to taste. I like my fish fairly well done and cooked my trout for 8-9 minutes total. If you are using a traditional grill you'll want to flip halfway through but it is less necessary if you are using a Foreman grill. Enjoy it while it's hot.