Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Herbs
Using a pressure cooker, you can prepare risotto in about half the time that it would take to cook it in a sauté pan—and you don’t need to constantly stir it. Arborio rice, a Northern Italian variety of medium-grain rice, has a high starch content, which lends creaminess to the finished dish.
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbs. (2 fl. oz./60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups (14 oz./440 g) Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) white wine
- 4 cups (32 fl. oz./1 l) vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, stalks cut on the diagonal into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup (5 oz./150 g) fresh shelled English peas or thawed frozen peas
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
Directions:
Set an electric pressure cooker to “sauté” according to the manufacturer’s instructions and warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir until each grain is well coated with oil and translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until the liquid is reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, lock the lid into place and cook on high pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the asparagus and cook until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
Release the pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions and remove the lid. Stir in the lemon juice, butter, Parmesan, asparagus, peas, parsley and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 warmed bowls. Garnish with more Parmesan, parsley, mint and the lemon zest and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
Recommended Products:
-
$24.95
