Risotto, or not risotto?

Neither Catalan-Style Turkey (pg 134 of The Family Meal) nor Saffron Risotto (pg 132)  met my expectations.

I planned to have spinach, but it went horribly wrong when I decided to keep it warm in the oven. Don't judge my veggie-less-ness.

Raisins and prunes are soaked in sherry all day. Technically, they're meant to be soaked in a Catalan wine called vino rancio, but it says sherry will work as a replacement. All this sweetness is the primary flavor of this dish, and it's primary problem, in my opinion. The sweetness was one-dimensional and cloying. I tend to like fruit in my savory dishes, but this one had no savory.

Conclusion: Just okay.

We have a canister of beautiful saffron that Matt brought back from Bahrain, so Saffron Risotto was an obvious choice. My understanding of risotto preparation is that you stir for the majority of the cooking time, and you slowly, slowly add bits of fluid until you have a wonderful, creamy bowl of rice. In this version, you add a ladle of broth once, and once that's absorbed, add the rest of the stock in one shot, stirring frequently. The creaminess comes from parmesan cheese, not from softly nurturing the rice. I believe in the magic of risotto. All due respect, Mr. Adria, but this recipe did not respect that magic.

Conclusion: Just okay. This sat heavy in my stomach.