Culinary Concierge

Garden Vegetable Risotto
Chef David Bull
Bolla at the Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa

1/4 c	onion, small dice
1 T	garlic, minced
2 c	Arborio rice
1 c	white wine
6-8 c	chicken stock, hot
1 1/2 c	garden vegetables, small dice - blanched
1 T	butter
1/4 c	parmesan cheese

method: In a large sauce pot add the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and toast for 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a boil while constantly stirring with a wooden spoon. After white wine has reduced add in the hot chicken stock, one cup at a time allowing each cup to be completely absorbed. Continue to repeat this process until the rice is just cooked through. Add the garden vegetables and warm through. Add the butter and parmesan cheese - stir and serve.

A letter from the publishers

In this, our Summer 2008 issue, we explore Summer in Italy, focusing on fresh lemon, delectable cheeses, and the fine art of mixology. Daniele Puleo, owner of Daniele’s Osteria on Oak Lawn in Dallas and Brix in Fort Worth, describes his early life in Sicily and its impact on his culinary career. Paula Lambert, the Grand Dame of cheese in Texas, recounts how her love of Italian cheese gave birth to The Mozzarella Company. Michael Martensen of The Mansion on Turtle Creek and Dan O’Keefe of Central 214 at the Hotel Palomar give us their spin on mixology, past, present and future.

This summer, we also look forward to a host of new restaurants, including Screen Door, where Café Italia proprietor, Scott Jones, brings us a new fresh twist to Southern Cuisine and Dali Wine Bar & Cellar, where Paul Pinnell, former GM at Nana, offers an impressive array of boutique wines to pair with an equally impressive menu.

June promises to be an especially bountiful culinary month. On June 8th, the Plaza at Preston Center will host the 2nd Annual Best Iced Tea Contest benefiting the North Texas Food Bank. Keep your cool by sampling numerous teas brewed by Dallas’s best known restaurants! After you’ve cooled down, heat things up by attending the Dallas City Arts Festival taking place at the Downtown Arts District on June 13th-15th. Culinary Concierge is an enthusiastic sponsor of the event, so be sure to meet the publishers at the culinary tent. The theme this year is The Art and Soul of Dallas. Check the inside front cover for information. The event is free, so Eat, Drink, and be Merry!

Ciao!