Nine times out of ten, cooking is a matter of necessity, nothing more than a requirement for getting food into your belly. Convenience is paramount — there are a million Internet recipes with “quick” and “easy” keywords. (I’ve got a few here.)
But every now and then, I want to spend a little time in the kitchen. Nothing too laborious, but something that requires a bit of work, something that feels like “cooking.” Risotto is perfect for those moments. It’s pretty easy, work-wise: you mostly stir, and stir and stir and stir. There’s something meditative about it, and as I’ve been in a state of near constant work-related stress, there’s something calming about doing extremely simple tasks over and over, where I can shut my brain off for an hour and focus on nothing else but stirring rice in a pot. (See also: running long distances at a slow, plodding pace, which oh by the way I’m running another half-marathon at the end of May, so I’ve been doing more of … )
Risotto is especially perfect this time of year, when there are new, exciting vegetables popping up at the farmer’s market, but it’s still chilly enough to crave creamy carbs for dinner. Asparagus and peas shine here, but you could swap in anything: leeks would be delicious, as would ramps or morels or anything else that’s fresh and bright and beautiful. I had one slightly weird swap — I didn’t realize I was totally out of Parmesan until halfway through the recipe, and instead added a slightly alarming amount of Irish cheddar instead. The cheddar was tangy and lemony and worked really nicely, so it’s worth trying.
This spring risotto isn’t one of those weeknight wonders. It takes time and attention and care. It’s something to make when you really feel like cooking, when an hour in front of the stove with a glass of wine (you need to open the bottle anyway!) seems ideal. And your reward is comfort, both in the process and in the result, and what’s better than that?
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I used a slightly buttery Chardonnay, since that’s what I like drinking, but any dry white wine will do.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups chicken stock (let this simmer on the stove on low heat while cooking the risotto)
- 1 bundle thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1–1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Irish cheddar (or Parmesan)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Stir in the rice and coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter.
- Reduce the heat and add the white wine, simmering while stirring constantly until most of the wine has been absorbed.
- Add the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process will take 30-45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil the asparagus in salted water for 4-5 minutes, until they are al dente. Drain and rinse immediately in cold water. Set aside.
- When there is one cup of stock left, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the defrosted peas, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm. The risotto should still be loose.
- When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and whisk in the grated cheddar. Taste to check seasonings, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
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