Eatwell Farmhouse Kitchen

How does one take credit for a risotto dish?  You really can’t. There are some basic rules we must all follow when making a risotto, no matter what ingredients you are using.  Time and patience is the number one ingredient in each and every risotto dish. Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently.  Embrace it and enjoy the process, because it is so completely worth it.

1 cup Arborio Rice, regular rice does not work the same way
4 cups Eatwell Farm Chicken stock or a good homemade Vegetable Stock
1 Bulb Spring Garlic, minced
1 Red Onion, minced
Fava Beans, shucked
1/2 bag of Spinach, washed well and chopped
Basil, chopped thinly
Sugar Snap Peas, tipped and cut in half if they are bigger than small bite size
Olive Oil and a Knob of butter  (about 1 TB)
A splash of White Wine
1/3 cup of Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese, if you like

Heat the stock in a pot and set aside, keeping it warm.  In a heavy bottomed pot, large enough to accommodate all the ingredients, melt the butter in 1 or 2 TB of oil.  Pour in the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns golden.  You need to watch it because you don’t want it burning.  Just as it starts to turn color a bit add the onion and garlic and sauté until they begin to soften.  Now the patience begins, don’t rush this process.  Add one ladle of warmed stock to the rice.   Cook and stir until just about all of the liquid is absorbed, then add another ladle’s worth of stock.  Repeat and repeat and repeat, stirring and adding slowly after the liquid is almost completely absorbed until you have no more.  About 1/2 way into the process add the fava beans, and then the peas.  When all of the stock is used, taste the rice.  It should still have just a bit of chew to it, but only a bit.  Add the chopped spinach, the cream, a shot of white wine.  Mix well, season with salt and pepper to taste.  You can top each serving with a nice shaving of parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of fresh basil.