To me Spring day is always the first of March, I know some people see it as the 20th but I follow the seasons based on months.
In order to celebrate everything green and fresh I’m making this gorgeous spring vegetable risotto, brimming with crisp tenderstem broccoli and asparagus, with a little zing of pesto!
Let’s get cooking…
Start by sautéing the shallots in the butter and olive oil until translucent about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the rice and stir well to cover the rice with all of the butter and shallots.
Pour in the wine and allow to bubble until it has reduced by half. Slowly begin adding in the stock, 1 ladle at a time until it is absorbed by the rice, continue until all the stock has been absorbed.
Add in the peas, asparagus and tenderstem broccoli in the second to last ladle of stock and allow to poach in the rice. After you’ve added all the stock taste and season if needed, stir in the pesto and allow to cook for 5 minutes then turn off the heat.
Plate up and top with shavings of parmesan and black pepper.
Swaps…
This dish is easily made vegan by swapping out the butter for vegan butter and omitting the parmesan.
Ingredients
1 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups vegetable stock
4 shallots/1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tblsp butter
1 tblsp olive oil
salt
pepper
1/4 cup peas
100g tenderstem broccoli
100g asparagus
1 tblsp basil pesto
50g shaved parmesan
Directions
- Start by sautéing the shallots in the butter and olive oil until translucent about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds
- Add in the rice and stir well to cover the rice with all of the butter and shallots
- Pour in the wine and allow to bubble until it has reduced by half
- Slowly begin adding in the stock, 1 ladle at a time until it is absorbed by the rice, continue until all the stock has been absorbed
- Add in the peas, asparagus and tenderstem broccoli in the second to last ladle of stock and allow to poach in the rice. After you’ve added all the stock taste and season if needed, stir in the pesto and allow to cook for 5 minutes then turn off the heat.
- Plate up and top with shavings of parmesan and a good crack of black pepper.
Published by