This risotto is one of my all time favorite spring recipes! It pairs perfectly with a piece of grilled meat or fish.
Risotto can be a bit intimidating if you haven’t made it before but I swear you can do it! It just takes a little patience and a lot of stirring.
Pour yourself a glass of wine, pop on the tunes and make yourself this incredibly creamy and refreshing dish!
Spring Risotto
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups thinly chopped leeks**, white and light green parts
- 1 medium onion
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 5 cups simmering chicken stock or broth
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh or frozen peas
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dill (dried is fine)
- 1 teaspoon chives (dried is fine)
- 1/3 cup mascarpone* cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- Dash of parsley–for serving
Preparation:
Add chicken stock/broth to a sauce pan and bring to a gentle boil.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for about two minutes 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. Don’t be intimidated at this part– you will be able to tell when the rice has absorbed the stock, I promise! This process should take 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
Add the asparagus and peas into the rice. Cook for about two minutes. Whisk the lemon juice, dill, chives, parmesan and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese and herb mixture. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of parsley and more Parmesan cheese.
*Because leeks grow in sandy soil a LOT of sand gets stuck between their different layers. The best way to wash leeks is to slice them and then fill up your sink with water. Toss in the leeks and let them soak for a bit. Agitate the water, rinse again and strain.
**Mascarpone cheese can generally be found by the ricotta cheese at your grocery store.
