My last Risotto cooking class was so popular, we couldn’t all fit into one evening. I scheduled a second class the following Monday for the overflow. I was reluctant to take another day off of work (if you can call ski instructor work), but as the first class went so smoothly (except for the fire), I thought I could pull it off. Everything came together, but it made for a very busy day!

Start: 5:20 alarm.

6:00 at the gym, with my three amazing workout companions. On the plan for today, Filthy Fifties. We have 45 minutes to do 50 reps of each of the following exercises – in no particular order:

• Box Jumps
• Jumping pull ups
• Flying lunges
• Knee to Elbow (Hanging crunches)
• Push Pulls (Squats with a Shoulder press using dumb bells)
• Squat Thrusts (otherwise known as burpees)
• Wall Ball (Throwing a medicine ball overhead)
• Kettle Ball Swings
• Back Extensions

We mix it up every morning; sometimes a good strength workout like this, sometimes a spin class, sometimes a mix of both. But a very fun group who love to push each other – great motivation to brave freezing temps and the still darkness to get to the gym.

6:50. Home, shower.

8:00 Ski School for weekly meeting. 10:30 and 1:15 clinics.

Home at 3:00. Clean off counters, assemble ingredients for 6 recipes, set up work stations with ingredients and equipment for cooking class.

5:30 Students arrive.

7:30 We’re sitting down to eat (hard to believe!!)

9:30 In bed, with a clean kitchen. I was expecting this to be more like 11 pm…

I love it when a plan comes together!

Here’s a second risotto recipe from the class.

Risotto Alla Salsa di Salmone e Prosecco

Fish and crustacean based risottos abound in the seaside communities around Venice, with each community featuring their own favorite fish and naturally preferring their version to all others!

We have been smoking our own salmon for years. We first brine, then wood smoke the salmon over a low fire for a couple of hours. I am often asked if we sell it commercially – the answer is no. As a special dish, I love it. If I had to produce it every day, it would quickly become a real job! For smoking, I prefer farm raised salmon. Its’ higher fat content makes for a moister smoked salmon.

So my ‘favorite’ seafood risotto includes this salmon, paired with a prosecco sparkling wine from the Veneto. A commercially available smoked fish; salmon, or trout, would make a great substitute.

Risotto Alla Salsa di Salmone e Prosecco

Serves 6

6 1/4 cups vegetable or fish stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoon butter, softened
1 leek, white part only, trimmed of roots and outer leaves, sliced thinly crosswise and swirled in a bowl of cold water to remove any grit
2 cups risotto rice, arborio or carnaroli
1 1/2 cups prosecco
8 ounces smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Bring the stock to a boil.

Heat the oil and one tablespoon of the butter in another pan, add the leek and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add the rice. Stir for about 1 minute. Add the prosecco, and simmer until it has evaporated. Stir in a ladleful of the stock. Cook, adding the stock a ladleful at a time, and allowing it to be absorbed by the rice before adding more.

Just as you add the last ladleful of stock, stir in the remaining butter and the coarsely chopped salmon.

Season with salt to taste, and serve, garnished with the chopped parsley.