Cook It Yourself: Spring Risotto

Restaurant: Jimmie’s Steamey Dogs

Chef: James Gouveia

Location: 753 Purchase Street, New Bedford

Spring Risotto

I like this dish because it is fun to make (if you are not in a rush) and it’s a scrumptious, light meal that satisfies both vegetarians and carnivores, alike.

Ingredients

– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
– 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
– 1 large clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
– 2 cups Arborio rice
– 1/2 cup dry white wine, like Chardonnay
– 6 cups broth, heated
– 6 thin asparagus spears, tough bottoms discarded, spears peeled and chopped
– 1 small zucchini, cut into small dice
– 1/2 cup fresh fava beans (or baby green peas)
– 3/4 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, rinsed
– Salt
– Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine the oil with half of the butter in a heavy (4 qt.) pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and garlic and stir while cooking until the vegetables begin softening (2-3 minutes), but be careful not to brown them.

2. Stir in the rice to coat the grains with the oily veggie mixture, and cook for another minute.

3. Add the wine to the rice and stir, cooking until the wine is almost entirely absorbed by the rice.

4. Add the heated (near boiling) broth 1/2 cup at a time. Stir well after each 1/2 cup and don’t add the next one until the previous one is almost entirely absorbed by the rice. Keep 1/4 cup to add at the end.

5. After 15 minutes of adding broth, stir in the asparagus, zucchini and peas.

6. When the rice is tender and firm and all but the remaining 1/4 cup of broth has been absorbed, turn off the heat.

7. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of broth, 1/2 cup of the cheese, parsley , and salt and pepper to taste, and thoroughly stir into the rice.

8. Serve immediately and pass around the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and ground black pepper.

Notes:

This dish takes about 30 minutes once you begin adding ingredients. Be sure to have a glass of wine ready once you begin adding the broth, as this will take some time and it is important not to rush this step. Also, make sure the broth is HOT before you start cooking anything.

If you can’t get the fresh baby fava beans, then you can substitute defrosted baby green peas.  When using fresh fava beans, it is necessary to take the beans out of the pods and steam the individual beans to remove the skin.

Makes 4 servings.