Risotto With Pesto And Peas Recipes

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.

SPRING RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Add the asparagus to the pot and blanch, just until bright green, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking, about 30 seconds. Transfer the asparagus to a colander to drain. Repeat with the English peas, sugar snap peas, and fiddleheads.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté just until translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir until opaque, about 1 minute.
• Stir the wine into the rice, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring periodically, until the rice absorbs the wine, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup/240ml stock and 2 teaspoons salt, return to a simmer, and let cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Spread the rice mixture on a baking sheet and set aside until you are ready to finish the dish, or skip this step and keep cooking, continuing with adding the hot stock.
• About 15 minutes before you're ready to serve, return the rice mixture to the sauté pan and cook over medium heat. Stir 1 cup/240ml of the hot stock into the rice mixture and cook until the moisture has been nearly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat for the remaining 3 cups/720ml of stock, adding 1 cup/240ml at a time. When you still see liquid pooling here and there in the pan, remove from the heat and stir in the blanched vegetables and the Parmesan. Quickly stir in the pesto and serve.
• Store risotto, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Do Ahead
• To prepare the risotto ahead of time, cook the vegetables and the rice up until you add the wine and 1 cup/240ml of stock. Once the rice has absorbed the liquid, spread the rice and onion mixture on a baking sheet to hold until you're ready to finish cooking. Just before dinner, return the rice to the pot and resume cooking until done.

LEMON RISOTTO WITH PEAS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a large nonstick skillet, saute shallots in butter for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add the rice, thyme and pepper; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine and lemon juice. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed. , Stir in heated broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender. Total cooking time is about 20 minutes. Add the peas, cheese and lemon zest; cook and stir until heated through. Serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH PEAS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 3-1/2 quart sauté pan over medium heat.
• Add onion and garlic.
• Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft but not browned, about 4- 5 minutes.
• Add rice.
• Cook, stirring, until grains look opaque, about 2- 3 minutes.
• Add broth, wine and frozen peas.
• Stir to combine.
• Increase heat to medium-high, cover and bring to a boil, stirring often.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered.
• Stir occasionally.
• Cook until rice is tender and almost all of the broth has been absorbed, about 25- 30 minutes.
• Rice should be tender but not mushy.
• Remove from heat.
• Add cheese and stir to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Serve warm, with additional grated cheese to top if desired.

RISOTTO WITH PEAS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan and keep at a bare simmer, covered.
• Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add wine and simmer, stirring, until absorbed.
• Stir in 1 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed.
• Continue simmering risotto and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition become absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and creamy but still al dente, 18 to 20 minutes (there will be leftover broth).
• Stir in peas, prosciutto, zest, 2/3 cup cheese, parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
• If necessary, thin risotto with some of remaining broth.
• Serve immediately, with remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
• Serves 4 as an entree or 6-8 as a side dish.

RISOTTO WITH PEAS

Steps:

• In a medium-size heavy saucepan, warm the oil. Add the onion and cook until barely softened, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, and shaking the pan to avoid burning, cook for 5 minutes. Remove and puree half the mixture and reserve. Also reserve the other, unpureed half.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pot. Add the rice and cook over medium heat until it becomes opaque. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the wine has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and the pureed pea mixture.
• Cook at a lively simmer for 15 minutes. Add half the remaining unpureed pea mixture, stir and cook 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat, add the remaining pea mixture and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cheese and serve immediately.