Veggie Risotto
It all started when…
i was watching Hells Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay. Every single dang contestant messed up the risotto every time and I could never understand why. It always ended with Chef Ramsay throwing a hissy fit, yelling “WRONG,” tossing the entire pan in the trash and telling the cook to start over. So I had to try it for myself and see what the big deal was about. This was the recipe I tried and surprisingly, it wasn’t all that hard…
-4 cups vegetable broth (warmed on the stovetop)
-2 tbsp grapeseed/coconut/avocado oil (whatever your cooking oil is)
-1 small bundle asparagus
-1/2 broccoli stalk (chopped)
-1 medium red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
-1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
-1 shallot (finely chopped)
-1 cup arborio rice
-1/4 cup dry white wine
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, heat vegetable broth over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and keep warm.
2. In the meantime, heat a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 1T oil and the asparagus, broccoli, and pepper. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until just tender and slightly browned (3-4 minutes) Cover to steam and speed cooking time. Remove from pan, uncover, set aside.
3. Heat large rimmed pan over medium heat. Once hot, add remaining oil and shallot. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until softened and very slightly browned.
4. Add arborio rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Then add dry white wine and stir gently. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
5. Using a ladle, add warmed vegetable broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring almost constantly, giving the risotto little breaks to come back to a simmer. The heat should be medium, and there should always be a slight simmer. You want the mixture to be cooking but not boiling or it will get gummy and cook too fast.
6. Continue to add vegetable broth 1 ladle at a time, stirring it in, until the rice is al dente. This whole process should only take 20 minutes (may take longer if making a larger batch).
7. Once the rice is cooked through and al dente, remove from heat, add a pinch of salt and pepper and top with cooked vegetables!
8. Can also top with a little grated cheese for extra flavah flave! Enjoy!!!