Northern Italian White Bean And Spinach Risotto Recipes

NORTHERN ITALIAN WHITE BEAN AND SPINACH RISOTTO

Steps:

• In 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté onion in 2 tablespoons butter over medium- high heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Add wine, rice, and white beans and continue cooking, stirring continuously, 1 minute. Add 3 cups chicken broth, reduce heat to simmer, and continue cooking, uncovered, stirring occasionally until rice is al dente and mixture is thick, about 18 minutes. Add remaining chicken broth, in 1/4 cup measurements, to maintain creamy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in baby spinach, dried apricots, Asiago cheese and remaining butter. Place in serving bowl and garnish with toasted walnuts. Yield: 6 servings

CREAMY ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil. Cook onion and celery in oil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, continually stirring. Stir in beans, chicken broth, pepper, thyme and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer for 15 minutes.
• With slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of the bean and vegetable mixture from soup and set aside.
• In blender at low speed, blend remaining soup in small batches until smooth, (it helps to remove the center piece of the blender lid to allow steam to escape.) Once blended pour soup back into stock pot and stir in reserved beans.
• Bring to a boil, occasionally stirring. Stir in spinach and cook 1 minute or until spinach is wilted. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat and serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.

RISOTTO FLORENTINE

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is crisp-tender.
• Stir in rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice begins to brown.
• Reduce heat to medium. Pour 1/2 cup of the hot broth and the saffron over rice mixture. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue cooking 15 to 20 minutes, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring frequently, until rice is almost tender and mixture is creamy. Remove from heat.
• Stir in beans and spinach. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.

RISOTTO WITH SPINACH AND PINE NUTS (RISTORANTE LA BRISA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pine nuts in one layer in oven-proof dish, and place in oven for 15 minutes until they become golden. Remove and cool to room temperature.
• In another pot, heat 4 cups water and cook spinach until limp. Remove, drain, squeeze dry and chop finely.
• In a pot, heat chicken stock to boiling, lower heat and keep at gently rolling boil.
• In a frying pan, heat 1 1/2 table spoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add rice and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until rice is warm to the touch. Add half-cup of boiling chicken stock, stirring constantly until rice absorbs stock. Add 2 more half-cups of stock in half-cup amounts, again stirring while stock is absorbed. (Liquid should be bubblinggently.) Add spinach at this point, when rice is half-cooked. Stir and mix.
• Add rest of stock, in half-cup amounts (total cooking time of rice is approximately 30 minutes). Five minutes before rice is cooked, add Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of butter, and mix. Just before serving, mix in all but 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts, sprinkling the top with remaining nuts. If desired, add more Parmesan to taste.

SPINACH RISOTTO WITH TALEGGIO

Steps:

• Cut the rind off the taleggio and discard. Dice the cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside at room temperature as you prepare the rice.
• Line a colander with a clean dish towel and place spinach inside. Heat about 8 cups of water until boiling, then pour over spinach; the spinach will wilt. Let spinach sit until cool enough to handle, then use the dish towel to squeeze out the water. Transfer spinach to a food processor and blend with 1 tablespoon butter until smooth. (You'll end up with about 1 cup of purée.) Reserve.
• Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery and garlic; cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until toasted and golden, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in wine and cook until it's absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often but not necessarily continuously, until the stock is finished and the rice is cooked through but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in spinach purée, then taste and add more salt, if needed. Add taleggio and stir to melt. Serve immediately.

MUSHROOM & SPINACH RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream; cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened., In a large saucepan, saute rice in oil for 2-3 minutes or until rice is lightly browned. Stir in 1/2 cup hot broth. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 20 minutes or until broth is absorbed., Continue adding hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and stirring until all the broth has been absorbed and rice is tender but firm. Add the mushroom mixture, spinach, pepper, salt and grated Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until heated through. If desired, sprinkle with parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.