RISOTTO PRIMAVERA – Springtime Risotto
Serves 4
1 pound/455g asparagus
1 small leek
1½ pounds spring peas, shelled (1½ cups peas)
1 pound fava beans in pods, shelled (1 cup beans)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons/85g unsalted butter, cold and cut into dice
1½ cups/300g Carnaroli or Arborio rice
Handful Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
8 mint leaves, finely chopped
¾ cup/40g freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Bend asparagus spears and snap at natural breaking point, reserving woody ends for broth. Cut tips off spears and reserve then cut stalks crosswise into small rounds. Trim the leek, reserving end and outer leaves for broth then cut white part into thin slices and rinse well.
Bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon salt then add asparagus tips and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer tips to an ice water bath, drain, and set aside. Add fava beans to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer beans to ice water bath then drain and skin fava beans.
Cook asparagus and peas in the boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove from water, refresh in ice water bath and drain. Add leek and asparagus trimmings to the boiling water and cook at a low simmer to use as broth for the risotto.
In a wide pan, place the olive oil, half the butter (keep remaining butter cold), leeks, and 2 tablespoons water over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and cook until leeks are very soft and water has evaporated.
Add rice and toast, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in enough broth to cover the rice by a thin veil of liquid. Cook the risotto at a moderate bubble, stirring and adding more broth to keep rice barely covered, for 13 minutes. Add the vegetables (except asparagus tips) and continue cooking, adding more broth if needed, for 2 to 3 more minutes until rice is ‘al dente’ (tender yet firm to the bite) and risotto is loose with little liquid remaining.
Remove from heat and add herbs, cold butter, and grated cheese. Whip the risotto vigorously with a wooden spoon until creamy in consistency. Let risotto rest for 5 minutes then serve garnished with asparagus tips.
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There’s no better way to celebrate springtime than with the risoto primma vera full of spring peas, fava beans, and asparagus. Let’s make it. The first thing I’m doing is shelling my peas. I have to taste one. M. They’re like candy. Next, the fava beans. Next is our asparagus. I’m just bending and snapping off at the natural breaking point. I’m keeping this for our broth, so don’t discard your ends. First cut the tips off and then cut the stalks into small rounds. I’m slicing the white part of a leak finally, but I’m keeping the outer layers of skin. We’re going to use that in our broth as well. Now, it’s time to blanch my vegetables. The asparagus tips are done. I’m going to transfer them to an ice water bath. Next, I’m adding my fava beans and I put them in the ice water bath. The asparagus and peas are going in together. Look at that beautiful green. I want to keep the color and I’m adding it to the ice water bath. I’m just putting the trimmings of the asparagus and leaks into the water. This is going to create the broth that we’re going to cook our risoto with. Now I’m going to skin my fava beans. Pinch one end and just squeeze the other end and the fava beans come right out. Time to make our rioto primma vera. First I’m starting with a little olive oil. Adding half of my butter, the leaks, and a little bit of water. And I’m just going to cook the leaks until they’re very tender. Now I’m going to add the rice. And I’m using caroli rice. In Italy, we measure out by two handfuls per person. And then I’ll toast it until it’s glassy and translucent. I’m just adding broth a little at a time and cooking the rice for about 13 minutes. I’m adding the asparagus, peas, and fava beans to the risoto. And I’ll cook it just for a couple minutes more. It’s time to add our mint and parsley. Look at that beautiful color. The final step in making our rizoto is to monteare. Monteare means to whip cold fats. So in this case, butter and parigaro into the hot riotto, which will add to its creaminess. And the final touch, we’re going to garnish with our asparagus spheres. I want to get a little bit of everything. Pea, a fava bean, and some asparagus. Buito and happy springtime.
Dining and Cooking