I love spring! I love it for many reasons but the main one being that it ushers in all sorts of produce that makes me happy AND it peony season and they are my most favorite flowers of all times. One of my favorite spring items (besides peonies) is peas!! You can put them on just about anything and they'll lend a pop of color and a burst of freshness which is exactly what I wanted in this Spring Pea Risotto!
Risotto is a long lost art form I think. It's so simple to make but it requires a few minutes of undivided attention so we often forget about it. It's not like it takes 2 hours of focus, I mean, have you met me... I'd never make it!! But the few minutes needed to whip this up result in a creamy, cheesy rice dish that can take on any flavor - today it's lemon and peas! Perfect for spring. Also - side note (since I know you'll ask!) how gorgeous is this risotto pan!? it's a Lagostina and the top doubles as a serving trivet. I'm OBSESSED!! You'll be seeing a lot more risotto over here in the coming weeks!
Fresh Pea Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- ½ cup dry White Wine
- 2 ½ cups Chicken Stock
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- ⅓ cup mascarpone Cheese
- 1 ½ cups fresh peas quickly blanched
- pea tendrils to garnish
- lemon wedges
- kosher salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallot and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the Arborio rice to the skillet, making sure to stir it around in the olive oil so that each granule is coated with it, and toast it for about 90 seconds.
- Add the white wine and stir the rice until all the wine has been absorbed and then start adding the chicken stock ½ cup at a time, making sure not to add more until the previous addition has been absorbed.
- Once the rice is just tender, add the Parmesan and mascarpone cheese and combine. Add the previously blanched peas and carefully combine into the risotto. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with pea tendrils if available and a squeeze or two of lemon juice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
I've made this recipe a number of times, and it never fails to make me say Yummmmm.
Thoughts on a mascarpone replacement? Or just leave it out?
cream cheese!
Could you make this vegan and skip the cheese?
totally!
Do you cook this on medium high the whole time? I'm on medium low and it still seems like I'm adding broth to it very frequently. I'm cooking it right now
anywhere in medium works!
Made this last night with braised chicken and a red wine vinaigrette salad. Was amazingly good!
Beautiful! Wish I had a bowl for lunch 🙂
Peas are my FAVORITE spring veg. I remember afternoons spent in my grandfather's garden picking them off the vines. They're like candy! Great way to highlight them 🙂
I.CAN'T.EVEN!!!! This is soooo good! I'm just here sitting and staring at the screen and trying very hard to not drool! This is a stunner of a risotto with such a spring - summer vibe to it! Pinning, of course!
I LOVE risotto! Pinned.
Can't wait for all the spring produce!
I recently made a lemon & squid ink risotto. So yummy! Love the spring pea idea!
Kari
What a great dish to bring in Spring!
Perfect recipe; for Spring Fling I would like to add http://www.dejavucook.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/fettucine-with-veal-peas-and-mint and http://www.dejavucook.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/straw-and-hay/
I associate a big bowl of risotto with comfort, it's creamy goodness just soothes the soul.
This looks beautiful and really flavorful. Thank you for posting!
Love it - carb fest all the way!