Green Herb Risotto Recipes

FRESH HERB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Put your stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer on the stove, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned. Combine the herbs and one of the minced garlic cloves in a bowl, and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan. Add the onion or leek and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown.
• Stir in the rice and the remaining three cloves of garlic, and stir just until the grains of rice become separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed.
• Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy, usually in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and correct seasoning.
• Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the herbs, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and Parmesan, and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy. If you put some on a plate and tilt the plate the mound of rice should flatten out. Serve right away.

HERB & PARMESAN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and sweat gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
• Pour in the wine and simmer until totally evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring with each addition until absorbed. Continue adding stock a ladleful at a time and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy. When you draw a wooden spoon through it, there should be a wake that holds for a few moments but not longer.
• When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, stir in the grated Parmesan, the remaining butter, half the oil and the chopped herbs, then season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and leave the risotto to rest for a few mins. Now make your herb salad. Roughly chop the chives, then mix with the whole herb leaves, remaining olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Give the risotto a final stir, then serve in bowls topped with some of the herb salad and some shaved Parmesan.

GREEN HERB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Blend first 5 ingredients in processor until thick paste forms.
• Bring broth and 2 1/2 cups water to simmer in saucepan over medium heat.
• Reduce heat to very low; cover to keep warm.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Add leek; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
• Add rice; stir until heated through, about 3 minutes.
• Add wine; simmer until absorbed, stirring often.
• Add warm broth mixture 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender but still firm to bite, about 20 minutes.
• Cover; remove from heat.
• Let stand 3 minutes.
• Uncover; stir in herb paste, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve immediately in warm bowls, passing additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

GREEN HERB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Blend first 5 ingredients in processor until thick paste forms. Bring broth and 2 1/2 cups water to simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to very low; cover to keep warm.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add rice; stir until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add wine; simmer until absorbed, stirring often. Add warm broth mixture 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender but still firm to bite, about 20 minutes. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 3 minutes. Uncover; stir in herb paste, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately in warm bowls, passing additional Parmesan cheese alongside.

SPRING GREEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
• When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
• Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside off the heat for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

HERB RISOTTO WITH BITTER GREENS AND SEA BASS

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small bowl and stir in the parsley and basil until smooth. Refrigerate. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the rice and stir well, coating the grains with the butter. Stir in the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Meanwhile, place the vegetable broth in a medium saucepan and keep hot over medium heat. Ladle in about 1/3 cup of the broth and stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth and stirring until each addition is absorbed, until the rice is cooked al dente, about 55 minutes.
• Stir in half of the herb butter; the rice should be quite liquid. Dice the remaining butter and fold it in with the Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the arugula and watercress. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep warm.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bass fillets and sear until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Reheat the asparagus tips. Divide the risotto among 4 plates. Top each with a bass fillet and sprinkle with asparagus tips. Serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH HERB PESTO, POTATO, AND GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Pulse pine nuts, garlic, and herbs in a food processor until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper; with motor running, stream in 1/3 cup oil until combined. Season to taste.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add green beans and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Add potato to pot and simmer until tender but not falling apart, about 6 minutes; drain.
• In same pot, combine broth, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and maintain a bare simmer, partially covered (to avoid evaporation).
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium. Add onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent and grains begin to make a popping sound, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in wine; cook until mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds.
• Ladle about 1 cup broth mixture into skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of broth has been absorbed and bottom of skillet stays visible for a second or two as you mix, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue ladling broth into skillet, about 1/2 cup at a time (or enough to just cover rice), stirring often and allowing rice to absorb most of broth before adding more, 15 to 20 minutes. When rice is cooked through but still al dente and sauce has thickened, stir in 1/2 cup pesto, green beans, and potato; cook just until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and add cheese, a good drizzle of oil, and a few spoonfuls of remaining broth. Stir vigorously to create a silky sauce. Check seasoning and stir in more pesto, if desired. Serve with a drizzle of oil, topped with more cheese and pepper.

FRESH HERB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Put stock into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer on the stove, with a ladle near the pot.
• Combine the herbs and one of the minced garlic cloves in a bowl, and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan. Add the onion or leek and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown.
• Stir in the rice and the remaining three cloves of garlic, and stir just until the grains of rice become separate and begin to crackle.
• Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed.
• Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly.
• When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy, usually in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and correct seasoning.
• Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the herbs, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and Parmesan, and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy. If you put some on a plate and tilt the plate the mound of rice should flatten out. Serve right away.
• Advance preparation: You can begin up to several hours before serving. Proceed with the recipe, and cook halfway through step 4 - that is, for about 15 minutes. The rice should still be hard when you remove it from the heat, and there should not be any liquid in the pan. Spread it in an even layer in the pan, and keep it away from the heat until you resume cooking. If the pan is not wide enough for you to spread the rice in a thin layer, transfer it to a sheet pan. Fifteen minutes before serving, resume cooking as instructed.