Risotto--creamy and rich, comforting and oh so satisfying, what's not to love about it?
Despite risotto's universal appeal, I think I've only had risotto maybe 3 times in my life ever? Whaaat? My lack of risotto experience can be best explained by the fact that I've never had the patience to make it myself and by the fact that pasta dishes always seem to trump risotto whenever I dine at an Italian restaurant.
My resistance to making my own risotto died when I dined at FIG in Santa Monica and had their Asparagus risotto. I decided on the spot that I would take a risotto recipe through my kitchen someday.
Someday came yesterday. Surprisingly, the systematic process of making this dish, of adding stock and stirring and waiting, was so soothing to me. After a long day at work, there was just something about the rhythms of preparing the risotto that did wonders for my weary soul.
Anyway, enough of my waxing lyrical. Made with frozen peas, chicken stock (made over the weekend) and a shot of dry white wine, this pea risotto is layered with flavor. The peas add a lovely burst of freshness in this otherwise creamy textured dish, and the dash of nutmeg does wonders to the flavor profile.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups of chicken stock, heated up
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the table
Salt and black pepper
whole nutmeg
drop of oil
2 shallots or 1 small onion
1 cup arborio or Canaroli rice
1/3 cup white wine
Directions:
1. Heat the 4 cups of chicken stock in a sauce pan till hot. Keep low on neighboring burner.
2. Put about 1 tablespoon of the butter in another saucepan, and, when it is melted, add the peas and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Remove half the peas and set aside. To the remaining half of the peas, add a ladle of stock. Put a lid on the pan and let cook gently for 5 minutes or so until soft.
3. Remove the pea and stock mixture from pan and purée with 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan, remaining butter, and a good grating of nutmeg and black pepper. Set aside for later
4. Melt another tablespoon of butter and add a drop of oil in it, in a pan. Cook the shallots, stirring for about 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir until every grain glistens with the oniony fat. Add in white wine and let it bubble away and absorb. Keep burner on medium to low heat.
5. Add a ladleful of the hot stock and stir until it is absorbed.
6. Continue adding stock by the ladleful and stirring until absorbed for another 10 minutes.
7. Add the whole peas back into rice and add another ladleful of stock. Continue in this fashion for about another 8 minutes until the rice is cooked and creamy.
8. Taste to see if it needs any more cooking time or liquid. It is hard to be precise; sometimes you'll find you have left over stock, other times you'll find you need to add water from the kettle. When I made it, I needed more liquid.
9. When you are happy with the consistency of your risotto, add the buttery pea and Parmesan purée back into the risotto and beat it in. Season with salt and pepper and top with more fresh Parmesan.
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson's How to Eat.
Anyway, enough of my waxing lyrical. Made with frozen peas, chicken stock (made over the weekend) and a shot of dry white wine, this pea risotto is layered with flavor. The peas add a lovely burst of freshness in this otherwise creamy textured dish, and the dash of nutmeg does wonders to the flavor profile.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups of chicken stock, heated up
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the table
Salt and black pepper
whole nutmeg
drop of oil
2 shallots or 1 small onion
1 cup arborio or Canaroli rice
1/3 cup white wine
Directions:
1. Heat the 4 cups of chicken stock in a sauce pan till hot. Keep low on neighboring burner.
2. Put about 1 tablespoon of the butter in another saucepan, and, when it is melted, add the peas and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Remove half the peas and set aside. To the remaining half of the peas, add a ladle of stock. Put a lid on the pan and let cook gently for 5 minutes or so until soft.
3. Remove the pea and stock mixture from pan and purée with 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan, remaining butter, and a good grating of nutmeg and black pepper. Set aside for later
4. Melt another tablespoon of butter and add a drop of oil in it, in a pan. Cook the shallots, stirring for about 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir until every grain glistens with the oniony fat. Add in white wine and let it bubble away and absorb. Keep burner on medium to low heat.
5. Add a ladleful of the hot stock and stir until it is absorbed.
6. Continue adding stock by the ladleful and stirring until absorbed for another 10 minutes.
7. Add the whole peas back into rice and add another ladleful of stock. Continue in this fashion for about another 8 minutes until the rice is cooked and creamy.
8. Taste to see if it needs any more cooking time or liquid. It is hard to be precise; sometimes you'll find you have left over stock, other times you'll find you need to add water from the kettle. When I made it, I needed more liquid.
9. When you are happy with the consistency of your risotto, add the buttery pea and Parmesan purée back into the risotto and beat it in. Season with salt and pepper and top with more fresh Parmesan.
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson's How to Eat.
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