Risotto Primavera

Risotto primavera is a very nice late spring, early summer dish. We decide to cook it for our 70’s dinner party, inspired by the popularity of spaghetti primavera at the time. Dessert was baked alaska, and that’s retro! 

Serves 4 

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Ingredients

1 onion, diced 
1 small fennel bulb, dices 
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
500g carnaroli rice (or other risotto rice, such as arborio) 
175ml white wine 
1.5 L chicken or vegetable stock (this may vary due, you may need a little extra)
8 spears of asparagus 
100g peas, shelled weight 
100g broad beans, shelled weight 
150g parmesan, grated 

Method

Taking a wide pot, large enough to cook the rice in an even, not-to-deep layer, sweat down the onion, fennel and garlic on a medium heat with the pot lid on. In another pan, put the stock on and leave it to simmer. Once the onion and fennel has softened, add in the rice and cook for a further minute, then pour in the white wine. Allow all the wine to cook out, before beginning to add the stock, ladle by ladle. Allow the rice to absorb all the stock before adding the next ladle. Keep stirring the risotto as it cooks, letting the starch out of the grains which gives the risotto a creamy texture. 

After 15-20mins, once you have ladled in about three quarters of the stock, the risotto should be almost cooked - taste to check, it will still have a bit of bite. Cook the asparagus and peas in the remaining simmering stock, for about 3 minutes. Add in the broad beans and cook for a further minute before adding them into the risotto. Continue to ladle in stock as needed and once the rice is cooked through remove it from the heat and stir through the grated parmesan. Season with plenty of salt and pepper and serve. The risotto goes very nicely alongside a green salad loaded with herbs.

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