The only change I made was to leave the leeks in the pan while I cooked the rice rather than removing them, which may have been a mistake. SP said he couldn't taste the leeks at all, so maybe they'd have been more pronounced if they hadn't cooked down so much. Even so, this was outstanding. I really love risotto and it's so easy to make. I don't know why it has such a bad reputation for being difficult.
I served the risotto with crispy pork chops - I pounded the pork very thin then breaded it with egg and panko bread crumbs, then shallow-fried them in some vegetable oil. They were the perfect accompaniment. This was an outstanding dinner. I can't wait to make more versions of risotto. Check out Mary Ellen's risotto tab for more recipe ideas.
Leek and Pea Risotto
As seen on Mary Ellen’s Cooking Creations
6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced and washed
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I didn't use this)
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then keep at a low simmer.
Cook leeks in 2 tablespoons oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add remaining tablespoon oil and rice to pot and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is coated evenly, about 1 minute.
Add wine and simmer, stirring, until most has been absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add 1 cup hot stock to the pan. Stir constantly until stock has been absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next, until 1 cup stock is left, 15 to 18 minutes.
Add peas, leeks, and remaining cup of stock and cook, stirring, until rice is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in butter and cheese then remove from heat.
To check out what the other bloggers chose click the links below:
Risotto isn't hard! A little hands on, but not hard. And the leeks - yes, I used to have the same issues when I would use them in certain dishes. They have to not cook as long so they stand out. I'm adding this to my side dish ideas...
ReplyDeleteI was a little sad even though this was delicious without the prominent leek flavor. Serves me right for going against the recipe.
DeleteThis sounds great. We love trying different risottos at our house.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked this! I agree - risotto is not hard at all, it's just a little time consuming since you have to watch over it the entire time.
ReplyDeleteI'll let you in on a secret - I don't stir my risotto the whole time. I think I even left the kitchen for a minute when I was making this. Yes, I do keep an eye on it but I'm not hyper vigilant. And it still came out great. I've got another of your risotto recipes on my meal plan for next week.
Delete