What could I have done differently here? Roast chicken, risotto, wilted spinach.
What could I have done differently here? Roast chicken, risotto, wilted spinach.
by AdmiralMoonshine
10 Comments
feastmodes
Looks delicious. One big note: Risotto should never never never hold shape like that. It’s supposed to be lava, flowing beautifully on the plate. And I think molding rice gives off “Asian mom and pop joint” vibes. My choice would be to just lay down some rice, put chicken on top at an angle, nestle in greens just like you did.
No need for a sprig of inedible thyme, do something nice to eat raw (a sprinkle of chives? some nasturtiums or or onion blossoms? a charred lemon half?) if you really want a garnish. Nice work!
SkepticITS
Ignoring the puck masquerading as a risotto, this is plenty nice home-style food.
I’m not convinced by the combo of chicken, risotto, and spinach, but if that’s what you’re after, here’s my advice.
1. Risottos must flow. That’s non-negotiable. Yours is way, way, way too tight. The risotto goes on the plate, first, in the middle, and naturally spreads outwards. Always a plate, never a bowl.
2. You want to keep as much skin on the chicken crispy, so spinach goes next, draped on top of the risotto.
3. chicken on top, as is, lose the twig.
Going a step up, you’d clean up the bones on the chicken to look a little nicer, maybe split the drum and thigh in 2, probably only serve one of them.
A step higher, you’d debone the chicken and pan fry it, eats much better, especially with something like risotto that doesn’t need cutting.
A step higher than that, you’d remove both the chicken and spinach altogether, and acknowledge that a risotto is a dish on its own, not a side of rice to go with your meat and veg.
ReturnFun9600
Lose the “twig/wood/bark” ha. But dice the green fine herbage and dust the plate. Or dust the chicken/risotto That’d be a nice touch’. Panache w flavor. Looks good otherwise.
Slow_Laminar_Flow
Probably the most constructive/positive space on reddit, agree with rhe right risotto feedback, but id eat that
Cool_Share2602
Looks nice.
I would get rid of thyme sprigs and replace with the leaves. You could experiment with separating the quarter and doing a stack or lean. Not much else to do with the spinach except mold it. The French place by me molds their garlic sautéed spinach into a leaf mold
Impressive_Guava6742
Zero to the shaped risotto, and for this plate, I think the protein atop the risotto would look more rustic; however, I understand some may not agree.
JewingIt
I think you can more so label this as roast chicken with rice pilaf and spinach
You need a sauce. Even just a simple pan sauce, but I wouldn’t hate a a mild au poivre style thing
And get rid of the burnt/rotten stem of thyme
eurekato
Looks beautiful! For me though, i would double (or 1.5x) the chicken and vegetables, half the rice.
Narrow-Argument-6000
That’s not risotto, that is your first issue.
Even if it wasn’t intended to be risotto I think the “rice puck” is so old school hotel food.
TwoTon_TwentyOne
Risotto should never be able to be set in a mold. It needs to “flow” on the plate. Do a different rice or starch for this otherwise needs to rethink the entire concept if you want to keep risotto.
10 Comments
Looks delicious. One big note: Risotto should never never never hold shape like that. It’s supposed to be lava, flowing beautifully on the plate. And I think molding rice gives off “Asian mom and pop joint” vibes. My choice would be to just lay down some rice, put chicken on top at an angle, nestle in greens just like you did.
No need for a sprig of inedible thyme, do something nice to eat raw (a sprinkle of chives? some nasturtiums or or onion blossoms? a charred lemon half?) if you really want a garnish. Nice work!
Ignoring the puck masquerading as a risotto, this is plenty nice home-style food.
I’m not convinced by the combo of chicken, risotto, and spinach, but if that’s what you’re after, here’s my advice.
1. Risottos must flow. That’s non-negotiable. Yours is way, way, way too tight. The risotto goes on the plate, first, in the middle, and naturally spreads outwards. Always a plate, never a bowl.
2. You want to keep as much skin on the chicken crispy, so spinach goes next, draped on top of the risotto.
3. chicken on top, as is, lose the twig.
Going a step up, you’d clean up the bones on the chicken to look a little nicer, maybe split the drum and thigh in 2, probably only serve one of them.
A step higher, you’d debone the chicken and pan fry it, eats much better, especially with something like risotto that doesn’t need cutting.
A step higher than that, you’d remove both the chicken and spinach altogether, and acknowledge that a risotto is a dish on its own, not a side of rice to go with your meat and veg.
Lose the “twig/wood/bark” ha. But dice the green fine herbage and dust the plate. Or dust the chicken/risotto That’d be a nice touch’. Panache w flavor. Looks good otherwise.
Probably the most constructive/positive space on reddit, agree with rhe right risotto feedback, but id eat that
Looks nice.
I would get rid of thyme sprigs and replace with the leaves. You could experiment with separating the quarter and doing a stack or lean. Not much else to do with the spinach except mold it. The French place by me molds their garlic sautéed spinach into a leaf mold
Zero to the shaped risotto, and for this plate, I think the protein atop the risotto would look more rustic; however, I understand some may not agree.
I think you can more so label this as roast chicken with rice pilaf and spinach
You need a sauce. Even just a simple pan sauce, but I wouldn’t hate a a mild au poivre style thing
And get rid of the burnt/rotten stem of thyme
Looks beautiful! For me though, i would double (or 1.5x) the chicken and vegetables, half the rice.
That’s not risotto, that is your first issue.
Even if it wasn’t intended to be risotto I think the “rice puck” is so old school hotel food.
Risotto should never be able to be set in a mold. It needs to “flow” on the plate. Do a different rice or starch for this otherwise needs to rethink the entire concept if you want to keep risotto.