Easy Fresh Spring Pea Risotto With Prosciutto

The birds are cheerily chirping, brightly colored flowers and blossoming trees dot the city streets and fresh peas are at the market.  Yup, it must be spring.  It was these sweet little pods, and that fact that it had been a little while since I made risotto, that sparked this creation.  This dish yields a creamy texture that is sweetened up by fresh seasonal vegetables and topped by salty prosciutto to create this balance of flavors that will satisfy any weeknight craving.  This makes a fine main dish or you can serve it alongside some lemon chicken.  I even packaged some up to take for lunch tomorrow.

Although I have made risotto before on my blog, I think that it is one of those dishes that can be made so frequently but still not lose its element of surprise because there is so much versatility to it and it really can change with the seasonal produce or really, just whatever you have on hand.  The big secret that I've learned to a good, creamy risotto is to add a little goat cheese.  Just about a tablespoon or so to give it a subtle little tang and a nice consistency.  Now, if goat cheese isn't your thing, (the more I write about goat cheese, the more I find that some people have a strong aversion to it) I recommend trying out another soft cheese.  I would recommend Boursin, Mascarpone or maybe even a cream cheese would be interesting.  Certainly, you could omit the cheese all together but I think you really miss that element of creaminess.  I'm sure you can obtain that through butter and cream but then you compromise that tangy little twist that only be gained from one of the aforementioned cheeses.  

While you can refer back to my original basic risotto recipe, I'll include a list below of what add-ins I used to create this particular risotto.  I didn't pre-cook anything (except for the red peppers that I roasted myself) instead, I let the heat from the risotto cook the vegetables.  I just added things in order of how fast they cook, so as to not overcook or under cook anything, but feel free to get creative, have fun and come up with your own creation.  Happy risotto making!

1. One shallot, finely sliced
2. Button Mushrooms
3. Roasted Red Peppers
4. Fresh peas, stripped of their pods
5. A couple handfuls of frozen corn
6. Fresh basil
7. Parmesan cheese and goat cheese
8. Thinly sliced prosciutto
9. A little more fresh basil for garnish

Easter Weekend Eats

The thing about being a food blogger, I have learned, is that when you go visit your family in Western Massachusetts for Easter weekend, the food blog suddenly morphs into a menu.  With it being only a day that I've been out of my Small Boston Kitchen, naturally, I was going through some withdrawals and missing my kitchen, big time (I know, everyone's geeky about something and I've gone and made my geekiness public.  No use hiding it now.)

So as my parents reviewed my blog, debating what I would make in their larger Western Massachusetts Kitchen, they ended up selecting the chicken that I had made for Valentine's Day, which was chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese, raspberry jam and then wrapped in a paper-thin slice of prosciutto.  As a side, they opted for my risotto with the addition of mushrooms and sweet peas.  We rounded it out with some merlot and dined al fresco.  Simply put, it was a fantastic evening.

And now I'm full.  But can't help thinking of tomorrow's Easter eats.  Ohhh the life of a food nerd....

Happy weekend, happy weather, and happy night!

Give Risotto A Chance

Tonight I got home from the gym with a hunger that just wouldn't quit. Opening my fridge I was looking for something simple, comforting and hopefully using some ingredients from yesterday's gnocchi goodness. So I landed on a simple risotto.

Let me stop right there and take a moment to clear the air on this delightfully creamy and impossibly comforting dish (I'd liken it to the same feeling you get when you slip into warm fleece sweatpants in the middle of a particularly cold evening...a little bit of fantastic, right?). But sadly, I think risotto gets a bad rap because of this misunderstanding that it is complicated, time-consuming, and unhealthy. I'm here the clear up this risotto misunderstanding and secure it a spot on the weeknight dinner table.

I, for one, love risotto and frequently turn out batches of this perfect little showstopping dish year round, switching up my mix-ins based on what's currently in season. It took me a good deal of trial and error to develop this rich dish without the addition of butter or cream, mainly because I was looking for something a little edgier. Below is my recipe for basic risotto. It's up to you what you add to it. Be it meat (sausage goes particularly well) or veggies (I usually always put in a couple handfuls of frozen corn right before I serve this dish. It adds a sweet little pop.) The secret is in the 1-2 tbs of goat cheese that I add with the last cup of stock. Even if you don't care for goat cheese, don't skip this step. It instantly adds a impossibly thick consistency and gives the risotto the softest little tang. Simply put, it's delicious...

Basic Risotto-

1 c. arborio rice
3-4 c. chicken stock
1-2 tbs. crumbled goat cheese
Drizzle of Olive oil and a small pat of butter for the pan
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken stock to a boil in one pan. In a separate pan, drizzle some oil and butter and add rice. Toast the rice on medium until translucent, approximately 2 mins. Be sure to stir frequently so the rice doesn't burn. Pour approximately 1 c. of the boiling chicken stock over the rice. Stir frequently until most of the stock is absorbed. Add another cup of boiling stock and stir until most liquid is dissolved. Rice will start to get thicker. Next, start adding stock by the 1/2 cup at a time until the rice is tender but still al dente. Don't worry if you don't use all of the stock. Add the goat cheese and salt and pepper to taste. The risotto will immediately get richer and creamy. Add any additional mix-ins. Serve immediately and enjoy!