Stephencooks

Earlier this year I read (thanks to my friend Kit)   Soul of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman and it gave me a new appreciation of the fact that the "chef's special" is a way to use up leftovers and food that didn't get used earlier. No shame there -- it's the way I cook all the time: ok, this is what I've got in the house, so what'll I do with it to make something good? And the corollary: if it's got flavor, think of some way to use it instead of throwing it out!

Tonight I had available: a bunch of fresh basil that's getting old; a plastic container of last night's clam broth; some more green beans vinaigrette; some more frisée; some parmeggiano reggiano I grated the other night and didn't use. To these urgent ingredients I added a pound of frozen shrimp, 2 cups of Arborio rice, a cup of frozen peas and voilá:

Grilled Shrimp with Basil, Garlic and Tomatoes
Shrimp Risotto with Peas
Frisée/Romaine Salad with Green Beans Vinaigrette