Spring Vegetable Risotto – Asparagus, Leeks, and Peas
I was skeptical when I first learned about this method for making Vegetable Risotto. It comes out creamy stirring only at the beginning, after 10 minutes, and then again at the end. Washing the rice briefly in the cooking liquid before toasting rinses much of the starch off the rice into the liquid letting you remain hands-off for most of the time. I loaded this version of Vegetable Risotto with lovely spring vegetables like asparagus, leeks, and peas.
Swap the Parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast if you want to make it vegan. And if you want to forego the white wine I have found ¼ cup lemon juice or vinegar plus ¾ cup more broth or water works quite well.
Spring Vegetable Risotto Ingredients
- 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1.5 cups Arborio rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, (cut in 1 inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
- Combine broth and wine in a bowl. Add rice and stir for about 15 seconds. Strain rice and reserve liquid.
- In a stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and cook asparagus for 5 minutes. Add peas and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the pot.
- Heat remaining oil and cook leeks and garlic until the leeks begin to turn translucent. Add rice and cook until rice starts to toast slightly.
- Add 4 cups of the reserved liquid. Stir a few times and cover. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cover, stir a few times and re-cover. Cook for 10 more minutes.
- Remove cover, add asparagus and peas and remaining liquid. Stir and continue to cook until liquid is almost absorbed about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese and serve.
Always use organic fruits and vegetables in your recipes.
Do you live in one of these Southern California Cities? Aguanga, Fallbrook, Hemet, Homeland, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, or Winchester. If you do, you can use the local organic fruits and vegetables in our harvest deliveries for these recipes.
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