How to Make Spring Risotto

Risotto makes a hearty and healthy spring meal.

A bowl of creamy risotto with mushrooms, asparagus and fresh herbs provides an answer to preparing a meal on a chilly spring day. The sunny skies, daffodils, and baskets of strawberries in the grocery store entice you to cook fresh, light meals. But, the chilly temperatures make you crave warm comfort food like risotto, which is filling, satisfying and uses fresh, green springtime ingredients.

Things You'll Need

• Large pot
• Large spoon
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small, chopped onion
• 2 chopped leeks and 1 cup chopped fennel (optional)
• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
• 5 cups warm vegetable stock
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 lb. asparagus
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• ½ cup dried mushrooms (optional)
• ½ cup edamame beans
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Fresh chopped herbs
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preparation

1. Pour boiling water over the dried mushroom if you are using them. Let them sit for 30 minutes, then drain, rinse and slice them.

2. Saute the fresh and dried mushrooms in 1 tbsp. of oil. Set them aside in a small bowl.

3. Wash and trim the asparagus and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces. Blanch them in boiling water for three to four minutes, keep them slightly crispy. Set them aside.

4. Cook the edamame according to the package directions. Drain them and set aside.

Cook the Risotto

1. Saute the onion, and leeks if you are using them, in 1 tbsp. of oil until they are soft. Ina Garten, author of "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics," uses only leeks and fennel and omits onions.

2. Add the rice to the oil and onions. Stir the mixture for two minutes until the rice is glossy and coated with the oil.

3. Add the wine, salt and pepper. Let the wine bubble for one minute so the alcohol evaporates.

4. Add the warm vegetable stock 3/4 of a cup at a time, stir during and after each addition until most of the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Continue this process for approximately 25 minutes until the rice is cooked.

5. Add the lemon zest, salt and pepper after cooking the rice for 15 minutes. Taste the rice periodically after 20 minutes to test for doneness.

6. Add the asparagus, mushrooms and edamame just before the rice is finished cooking. Continue cooking until the mixture is heated thoroughly, adding more stock if necessary.

7. Add the lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and most of the chopped herbs. Save some herbs for garnish.

Tips & Warnings

• If your budget allows, opt for fresh morel mushrooms or dried porcino mushrooms for vibrant flavor.

• Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, authors of "The Flavor Bible," recommend flat-leaf parsley, chives, dill and tarragon as herbs that compliment asparagus.

• Tom Colicchio, famed chef and star of the "Top Chef" TV show, warns that risotto should not be cooked too long. He notes that risotto needs to be somewhat "soupy," and should run when it is served versus being firm on the plate.

References

• "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics"; Ina Garten; 2008
• "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"; Mark Bittman; 2007
• "The Flavor Bible"; Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg; 2008
• BravoTV: Reservations about Risotto at Rao's