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This delicious Risotto Milanese recipe and photos were shared with me by Karen Calanchini, Food
Stylist and Photographer, of Redding, CA. Recipe adapted from the cookbook,
Weight Watchers Greatest Hits: 250 Classic Recipes from the Sixties to Today.
Karen says, "This a delicious and wonderful
risotto when the spring asparagus and peas are available. The
ingredients list is long, so have everything read to go (Mise en Place)
and then all it takes is about 20 to 25 minutes from stove to table."
Lemon Risotto with Spring Vegetables
Before making risotto, please read the web
page on
Making Perfect Risotto.
Lots of hints and tips to help you.
Recipe Type:
Risotto,
Rice,
Asparagus,
Peas,
Wine
Yields: 4 to 6 main course servings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Ingredients:
 1 pound
Asparagus , trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin
olive oil
2 medium leeks, cleaned and chopped
3
garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 cups
Arborio Rice
1/3 cup while
wine
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 teaspoon lemon
zest, grated
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
Preparation:
In a large pot, cook
the prepared fresh asparagus in a small
amount of boiling water until they are a bright green.
Remove from heat, drain, and rinse in a colander under cold running
water to stop the cooking process; set aside.
Trim and clean leeks; thinly slice the white portion.
 Cut and clean leeks
-
You
need to thoroughly clean a leek because dirt can become trapped in its many
layers. Trim the root portion right
above the base (cutting too far up the stalk will remove the part that holds the
layers together. Slice off the fibrous green
tops, leaving only the white-to-light green stalk. Discard greens. Cut the leek in half
lengthwise, then cut according to your recipe (slice, chop or dice).
Heating the broth or liquid: All
the flavors that the cooking liquid starts out with become more
concentrated and intense as it evaporates. Bearing that in mind,
when the recipe requires broth, you will use a fine, mild beef
or chicken broth. It is always better to use homemade broth or
stock, but if you don't have the time (like most of us), don't
worry! Swanson's Organic Chicken and Beef broths are great for
making risotto.
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, bring chicken broth to a slow,
steady simmer (the liquid should stay hot but not simmer). Place this
pot on a burner, over low heat, next to the burner you will be using to make the
risotto. Keep the broth simmering slowly.
Toasting the rice:
Cooking the rice in
hot butter or oil before adding liquid helps the
rice to absorb the liquids slowly without becoming
soggy. This is called "Toasting the Rice."
In a large heavy 4-quart pan (or non-stick pan) over medium heat,
heat the olive oil; add leeks, garlic, and thyme. Sauté
approximately 3 minutes or until soft (be careful not to brown the
leeks).
Add the rice and cook, stirring approximately 1 to 2 minutes,
making sure all the grains are well coated (toasting the rice in hot oil keeps it
from getting mushy). Toasting the rice
also quickly heats up the grain's exterior (toast until
the rice is hot to the touch and the color should
remain pearly white and translucent, but not turn brown).
Add the wine and stir until completely absorbed,
approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Add liquid in increments:
The quantity of liquid suggested in the recipes is always
approximate. In actual cooking, you should be prepared to use more,
or sometimes less, as the risotto itself requires. All the flavors
that the cooking liquid starts out with become more concentrated and
intense as it evaporates. Bearing that in mind, when the recipe requires
broth, you will use a fine, mild beef or chicken broth. It is always
better to use homemade broth or stock, but if you don't have the time
(like most of us), don't worry! Swanson's Organic Chicken and Beef
broths are great for making risotto.
Add the hot chicken
broth (1 cup at a time), stirring frequently. Add liquid slowly and stirring
frequently are the keys to making perfect risotto. Run your wooden spoon across
the bottom of the pot to determine when each addition of broth
is almost completely absorbed. Wait until each addition is almost
completely absorbed before adding the next cup of hot chicken broth, reserving about 1/2 cup
chicken broth to add at the
end. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Risotto doesn't need constant
attention during its 18 minute cooking time. You'll just need to check on the pan every few minutes, give the rice
a stir to keep it from sticking, and add more chicken stock.
Finishing the risotto: After approximately 18 minutes, when the rice is tender but
still firm, add the asparagus, peas, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the 1/2 cup reserved hot chicken broth.
NOTE: When cooking with
broth, if you have used up the broth before the rice is fully
cooked, continue with simmering water.
The rice is done when it is tender, but firm to the
bite. The total amount of cooking time may vary within 2 to 3 minutes.
The total cooking time from the first addition of chicken broth should be
approximately 22 minutes.
Turn off the heat and immediately add the
parmesan cheese and pepper, stirring vigorously to combine with the rice.
Serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings as a main dish.
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