Risotto Primavera
Sunnyside Cook
Springtime vegetables combined with creamy Arborio rice create a seasonal celebration.
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 stem celery finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 pound asparagus --about 18 spears, (see prep steps below)
- 1 1/4 cups shelled fresh peas or frozen peas --defrosted
- 12 ounces frozen quartered artichoke hearts --defrosted
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter --room temperature, cut into 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese --about 2 ounces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place stock in medium saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat beneath pan, place cover on it, and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and celery to pan and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add rice to pan and stir to coat evenly with oil. When rice is glistening, add carrot pieces and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground pepper. If mixture becomes too dry, add a tablespoon or two of stock.
- Add 1/2 cup of warm stock to pan and stir well. Reduce the heat to lowest setting and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue to add stock 1/2 cup at a time, adding more when each addition has been absorbed.
- While the rice mixture is cooking, prepare the asparagus. Snap off the woody ends of the spears. Cut the lovely tips of asparagus off into 2-3 inch pieces and set aside to use at the very end of the cooking time. Trim the asparagus stems of their “scale leaves” and slice the stems into 1/2-inch rounds. Set aside.
- After about 15-20 minutes, when most stock has been added to rice mixture, taste rice to see if it is al dente. When it seems close to being done, add the sliced asparagus stem pieces and the remaining stock (about 1/2 cup should be left). Mix well and cook for 5 minutes, continuing to stir often. (If you run out of stock, using a final 1/2 cup of water will also work.)
- When the rice is almost cooked fully, add the peas and artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Season again with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and more freshly ground pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add asparagus tips and butter and mix well. After 3 minutes, add Parmesan cheese and stir well. Taste to see if more salt or pepper is required.
- Transfer risotto to plates and serve.
Notes
To make this a vegetarian dish, use vegetable broth.
Adapted from a recipe by Roberto Donna in Bon Appétit (March 1990).