Risotto Of Spring Vegetables Recipes

RISOTTO OF SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Tip the rice into a pan of boiling, lightly salted water. Boil gently for 6 minutes then drain in a sieve. There should still be a white core in the centre of the grains. Spread the part-cooked rice on a clean tray, cool, then chill until you are ready to finish the risotto. If covered with cling film, the rice can be kept for up to 24 hours. Shave about 25g off the parmesan wedge and set aside for later. Finely grate the rest and save for use in Step 8.
• Blanch the broad beans for 1 minute in boiling water then drain and rinse them in a colander under cold water. Using your fingers, pop each bean from its skin. (Thawed frozen beans can be popped without blanching.)
• Trim the asparagus and cut the spears at an angle into lozenge shapes. Bring 1 litre of water to the boil in a large pan, add 1 tsp of sea salt, then the asparagus, shelled peas and beans. Return to a gentle boil and cook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, put lots of ice cubes into a large bowl half filled with cold water.
• Drain the vegetables in a colander set over a bowl to catch and save the cooking water, then tip them straight into the bowl of iced water. When cold, drain again and set aside.
• Pour the saved vegetable water into a pan and whisk in the stock powder. When ready to finish the risotto, bring the stock to the boil and keep it on a simmer.
• In another large pan, gently sauté the shallot, spring onions and garlic in the 2 tablespoons of oil and half the butter for 3-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the wine and cook until reduced by half.
• Tip in the rice. Now add a ladle of boiling stock and stir until it is absorbed. Add the remaining stock, a ladle at a time, stirring until absorbed before you add more. This takes about 8 minutes, by which time the mixture should be slightly sloppy, not dry. You may not need all the stock. The rice is cooked when it is just softened and has a nice shiny glaze. Remove the garlic clove.
• Gently stir in the vegetables and remaining chives and return to a gentle simmer, adding a little extra stock if needed. Stir in the last of the butter, the grated parmesan and the mascarpone. Check the seasoning. Divide immediately between four warmed shallow bowls, drizzle over a little oil and scatter the parmesan shavings onto each serving.

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.

RISOTTO WITH SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Combine the oil and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the zucchini, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook until softened and lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring the 5 cups stock to a simmer in a saucepan wide enough to hold the asparagus. Add the asparagus and simmer until barely tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs. Cut off the tips in nice sized pieces (about 1 1/2 inches), and cut the stalks into smaller, bite-sized pieces; transfer to a bowl. Add the peas, 1/4 cup of the cheese, and 1 tablespoon basil; set aside. Put a lid over the stock, and reduce the heat to very low so that the stock barely simmers.
• When the zucchini is cooked, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the basil. Add the butter and the rice, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup simmering stock and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, and cooking, stirring frequently, until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy and has the texture of loose porridge, 17 to 20 minutes. The rice mixture should bubble away at a good clip. (You may not use all of the stock.) Stir in the reserved contents of the bowl and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.
• Divide the risotto between 4 serving bowls. Sprinkle each with some of the chopped tomato, the remaining cheese, and the mint, if using. Serve immediately.

SPRING VEGETABLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under a steady stream of cool water, stirring the grains. When the water runs clear, stop rinsing and shake the sieve to drain off excess water.
• Coat the inside of a medium rice cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Set the rice cooker to the regular cycle or to quick cook if it's a fuzzy-logic machine. Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter; add the garlic, leek, spinach, and fennel; and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the leek is softened. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the rice and chicken broth and stir to distribute the ingredients.
• Cover the rice cooker and reset to the regular cycle. Set a timer for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, stir in the fava beans and peas. Cover and allow to steam for an additional 5 minutes on the keep-warm setting or with the machine turned off. (Many rice cookers, including all fuzzy-logic machines, do this automatically.) Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter and the Parmigiano. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

ULTIMATE RISOTTO PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• If using fresh broad beans, drop them into boiling water, leave for 1 min, then drain and cool under cold water. Peel off the skins. For frozen beans, just thaw, then peel. Chop the shallots, spring onions and garlic as finely as you possibly can. Snap the woody bases from the asparagus spears and discard. Slice each spear into 4 diagonal pieces. Pour the stock into a separate pan and bring to a simmer.
• Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy, wide pan. Tip in the shallots, spring onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 mins until soft and see-through, but not brown, stirring often. With the heat on medium, add the rice and keep it moving with a wooden spoon for a few mins so it gets toasted, but not coloured, and very hot. Once it starts to hiss and sizzle, pour in the wine. Keep stirring for about a min until the wine has evaporated.
• Put the timer on for 20 mins (it takes 18-20 mins to add the stock), now add 11⁄2 ladles of stock, letting it simmer, not boil. Keep stirring until all the liquid is absorbed, scraping the sides of the pan to catch any stray bits of rice. Continue to stir and add a ladleful of stock once the previous amount has been absorbed. (If you add too much stock at a time the risotto won't be as creamy.) The rice tells you when it needs more stock. You will hear it sigh and when you pull a spoon across the bottom of the pan it should leave a clear line
• After 14 mins add the beans and peas to the rice with some seasoning. At the same time, drop the asparagus into the stock and let it simmer for 4 mins, then lift out with a slotted spoon and add to the rice. Start tasting the rice now too - when done it should be softened, but with a bit of bite in the centre, almost chewy, and the risotto creamy - overcooking just makes it mushy. Continue adding stock and stirring until done (you may have a little stock left). Take the pan off the heat, add half the parmesan and the rest of the butter plus a splash of stock to keep everything moist. Put the lid on the pan and leave for 3 mins to rest. Serve with the remaining parmesan.

RISOTTO WITH LEMON AND SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Place asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until crisp-tender, 10-12 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-in. pieces; set aside., In a large saucepan, bring stock to a simmer; keep hot. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add spinach and salt; cook and stir until tender. Remove spinach and keep warm. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter. Add leek; cook and stir until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add rice, garlic and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; cook and stir until rice is coated, 1-2 minutes., Stir in wine and lemon juice. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook and stir until wine is absorbed. Add hot stock, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until stock has been absorbed after each addition, until rice is tender but firm to the bite, and risotto is creamy. Stir in ham, zest, asparagus and spinach; heat through. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Serve immediately, with additional cheese if desired.

SPRING-VEGETABLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, soften the onion with the carrots in one tablespoon butter. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until the rice is well coated with butter and starts to turn opaque. Add the saffron and wine and stir thoroughly.
• Add a cup of hot chicken stock and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Add one-half cup more stock and continue cooking, stirring frequently.
• Add the fava beans and asparagus and another cup of stock. Continue cooking and adding stock until the rice is al dente. It is done when it is firm but tender and creamy. The vegetables should be barely tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the cheese and remaining butter. Serve immediately.