Pesto Risotto Recipes

EASY PESTO RISOTTO

Steps:

• Make the homemade pesto by combining the first four ingredients in a food processor until they have made a rough paste. With the machine running, slowly add the oil. Salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce seems dry (it should be a thick paste), add a bit more oil.
• In a large heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on low.
• Add onion and cook until soft and translucent.
• Raise heat to medium and add rice, stirring** until the rice looks chalky and you can see a white dot in the center of the grains (3-5 minutes).
• Stir** in one cup of chicken stock. When the stock is absorbed, stir** in another cup. Repeat this for the third cup of stock as well.
• Begin adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, along with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Stir** continuously until the stock is absorbed. Keep repeating this process and start tasting the risotto. The rice should be tender yet slightly firm to the bite - taking care to not overcook the rice. Adjust more or less pesto with each tasting, to your preferences.
• Remove the risotto from the heat when it is almost, but not quite done.
• Fold in 1 tablespoon of butter, then gently fold in the Parmesan cheese.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Enjoy this pesto risotto!

PESTO RISOTTO

Steps:

• Add oil to a medium skillet. Add rice and toast until lightly golden brown about 2 minutes.
• Pour in wine and cook for 1-2 minutes or until most of the wine is absorbed.
• Pour in warm chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time until liquid is absorbed. (Keep chicken stock warm in a saucepan) Stir rice occasionally. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until all of the chicken stock is absorbed.
• Add in butter and stir until melted.
• Take off of heat and add in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and pesto. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH PESTO AND PEAS

Steps:

• Make the broth: Bring 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Adjust the heat to keep the broth at a gentle simmer.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until almost evaporated, about 1 more minute.
• Add 2 cups of the hot leek broth to the rice; cook, stirring occasionally, until almost absorbed, about 6 minutes (adjust the heat to keep the risotto at a simmer). Add 1 more cup broth and cook, stirring, until almost absorbed, about 5 more minutes. Add the leeks, peas and 1 more cup broth and cook, stirring, until almost absorbed, about 5 more minutes. Taste the rice: If it is not fully cooked, add a little more broth and continue to cook, stirring, until al dente.
• Stir in the ham and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from the heat; stir in 2/3 cup pesto, the mozzarella and Parmesan. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining pesto.

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND PESTO

Steps:

• Put well-seasoned stock or broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about 3 minutes. Do not brown.
• Stir in rice and garlic and stir until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Add wine and stir until it is no longer visible in the pan. Begin adding simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir continually, but stir often. After 10 minutes, add asparagus and continue to stir and add stock for another 10 to 15 minutes, until rice is cooked through but still al dente.
• Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in pesto and additional cheese and remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Mix should be creamy (add more stock if it isn't). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

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.

PESTO & GOAT'S CHEESE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Pour a glug of olive oil into a large saucepan. Tip in the rice and fry for 1 min. Add half the stock and cook until absorbed. Add the remaining stock, a ladle at a time, and cook until the rice is al dente, stirring continually, for 20-25 mins.
• Stir through the pesto and half the goat's cheese. Serve topped with the remaining cheese.

PESTO RISOTTO

Steps:

• Halve the onion and peel off and discard the papery brown skins. Then chop both onion halves as finely as you can and discard the rooty ends. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium hob heat and add the onion. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.
• Add the rice and give the mixture a good stir to prevent it from sticking.
• Crumble the stock cube into a standard-sized mug and fill it with boiling water from the kettle. Stir to dissolve the cube and pour it into the rice saucepan. Add three further mugfuls of boiling water.
• When the liquid in the saucepan starts to boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes, occasionally stirring well, until the rice absorbs the liquid. Add half a mugful more of boiling water if all the liquid has disappeared but the rice still isn't cooked, then cook it for a little longer. Repeat until rice is tender.
• Stir in the pesto (as much as you want), frozen peas and ham and continue cooking until the peas are hot. Check the seasoning and serve.