Risotto Verde (Green Risotto)

As summer begins, light and simple dish is much more attractive than a fatty and intense one. Risotto is one of my best choices in this season. Especially, the risotto verde (green risotto) made with herbs and vegetables can be a refreshing yet filling main dish.

Risotto verde can be also a good side dish for any meat or fish with its clean and mild green flavor. The risotto will not overpower, but just support and highlight the flavor of the main dish.

I used only spinach and parsley for this simple preparation, but please use many different green vegetables in the risotto as you wish. Lemon zest added at the end of the cooking will brighten up the fresh flavor of risotto verde.

Risotto Verde (Green Risotto)
(Yield: 2 servings / Cooking time: about an hour)

Ingredients:
+ 1/2 cup short grain rice*, rinsed
+ 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
+ 1/4 onion (~45g), finely diced
+ 1 cloves garlic, crushed
+ 1/4 cup white wine
+ 2 cups vegetable stock (to see recipe, please click here)
+ 150g baby spinach
+ a handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
+ lemon zest from one lemon
+ 1 Tbsp butter
+ some pecorino-romano or parmigiano-reggiano
+ salt and pepper

*Ideally, you can use Carnaroli rice or Arborio rice. I didn't have those in my kitchen but sushi rice, so I just used sushi rice. Carnaroli and Arborio rice have larger grain, so they will hold the shape better.




Procedures:
1. First, make green puree. Blanch baby spinach and flat-leaf parsley in a pot of boiling salted water for less than a minute. The blanching water should be as salty as sea water. Shock in ice water immediately. Squeeze the excess water and puree in food processor or a blender.


2. Put the vegetable stock on the stove and let it simmer over low heat.


3. In a cold pan, add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion and crushed garlic. Lower the heat and sweat the onions and garlic - stir frequently to make sure onion is just softened without any brown color. Take out garlic from the pan.



4. Add the rice and coat the rice grains with the olive oil in the pan, and toast the rice over medium heat until the rice grains become opaque and the rice smells mildly toasted. Pour wine, and continue cooking until most of the wine has evaporated.


5. Lower the heat to low-medium and pour two to three ladles of simmering vegetable stock over the rice - just enough to cover the rice. Cook while stirring continuously until vegetable stock is all absorbed by the rice and pan is dried. Add simmering vegetable stock again just enough to cover the rice, and repeat the process. It will take about 15-18 minutes to cook the rice, depending on your rice and level of heat. Season with salt lightly during the process.


6. When the rice is almost cooked, stir 2Tbsp of green puree into the risotto and cook until the rice is done.


7. Turn off the heat. Add lemon zest and butter, and swirl into hot risotto.


8. Taste the risotto and season with salt and pepper. Top the risotto with some grated salty and hard cheese such as pecorino-romano or parmigiano-reggiano, and garnish with parsley leaves.


Enjoy~