Seasonal Risotto Recipes

SPRING RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in fennel, red pepper, onion, and garlic. In a small bowl, mix together lemon zest, mint, parsley, and rosemary. Stir half of this herb mixture into saucepan, and set the rest aside. Saute vegetables until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in coriander and rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice grains are thoroughly coated with oil and butter. Stir in wine, then reduce heat to low. Stir in about 1 cup of vegetable broth. Continue to stir while ladling in more broth as needed; rice should have a thin veil of broth over it at all times. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until all broth is used and absorbed, and rice is tender.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in remaining herb mixture, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover pan loosely with waxed paper and allow to stand 8 to 10 minutes before serving.

SUMMER RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a large skillet, saute onion in oil and butter until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in 1 cup warm broth. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed., Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to be absorbed between additions. Cook until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender (total cooking time will be about 20 minutes)., Add the tomatoes, corn, feta cheese, herbs, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

SEASONAL RISOTTO

Steps:

• Basic Risotto
• Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat and lower the flame to a simmer.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes. Add the white wine and salt and continue to cook, stirring vigorously, until the wine has completely evaporated. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock and continue to cook and stir vigorously. When the chicken stock has been almost completely absorbed, about 7 minutes, add another cup of the chicken stock and continue to cook, stirring constantly but not vigorously. When the chicken stock has been almost completely absorbed, add the remaining 2 1/2 cups chicken stock and continue to cook, for a total cooking time of about 25 minutes, stirring gently so that the rice does not stick.
• Stir in the butter and Parmesan and mix to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a platter or serving plates and finish with a generous turn of the pepper mill.
• Spring: Pea, Carrot, and Chive Risotto
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the peas and carrots and boil for 2 minutes (if using frozen peas, then just cook the carrots). Strain the vegetables through a fine-mesh sieve and cool under cold running water. Set aside.
• Add the cooked peas and carrots and the chives to the risotto when you add the butter and Parmesan.
• Summer: Fava Bean, Spinach, and Mushroom Risotto
• To shuck the fava beans, bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Meanwhile, fill a small bowl with ice water.
• When the water is boiling, add the fava beans and cook for 90 seconds. Immediately remove the beans with a strainer and place them in the cold water until cool, about 2 minutes. Keep the pan of water at a boil. Drain the beans, then peel off the tough outer skins; set aside. Add the spinach to the boiling water, and cook for 1 minute. Strain the spinach and beans and cool under cold running water. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Remove them from the heat and set aside.
• Add the cooked beans, spinach, and mushrooms to the risotto when you add the butter and Parmesan.
• Fall: Fennel Risotto
• Instead of adding the 2 tablespoons butter from the Basic Risotto recipe at the end, melt them at the beginning of cooking in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Then, add the fresh fennel, onions, and ground fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until the fresh fennel is soft and the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water, if necessary, to ensure that the vegetables do not brown. Set aside and proceed with the recipe as directed
• Add the cooked fennel mixture to the risotto when you add the Parmesan at the end.
• Winter: Prosciutto Risotto
• Add the prosciutto along with the onions at the beginning of the cooking process.
• Variation: Saffron Risotto
• Soak the saffron threads in the warm water for 5 minutes. Set aside. Add the saffron to the risotto along with the final addition of chicken stock. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

RISOTTO WITH WINTER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 7-liter pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, the 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Stir in the carrots, thyme sprigs, celery root, squash, if desired, chicken broth, and wine.
• Close the pressure cooker lid and bring the pressure up to high (which can take up to 10 minutes), then reduce the heat to maintain an even pressure for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and press the cooker's pressure indicator stem until no more steam comes out.
• Carefully remove the lid--the risotto will look a bit soupy at this point. Stir the mustard greens into the risotto, then let the mixture sit until the greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the 1 cup cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if you like. Pass additional grated cheese at the table.