Thinking spring with risotto primavera “nests”
Though I am childfree and clearly not the target audience, I try to make the “Family Style” dinners out of Bon Appetit every month because they’re simple to make for weeknight dinners, they’re well-balanced and they’re almost always very good. I made stuffed burgers last summer with a side of cherry tomatoes, feta and mint. I made turkey meatloaf — my first. And I’m determined to make this easy chicken masala as soon as possible.
There’s something incredibly decadent about creamy egg yolk, dripping its goodness down into a salad or a pasta or a risotto. This wonderful combination of risotto, spring veggies and egg is no exception.
This risotto is full of the flavors of spring — asparagus, carrots, mushrooms — but it’s not hard to make in the winter. And P wolfed this down. (Granted, it was 10 p.m. and he hadn’t had dinner, but he professed to love it.)
If it actually WAS spring, you could easily substitute fresh peas for the frozen peas or edamame. And think of the vegetable estimates as approximate — chopped too much onion? Throw it in!
Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs
Serves 2 plus leftovers. From Bon Appetit, March 2010.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 cup chopped button mushrooms (2.5-3 oz, I used baby bellas)
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (splash from your drinking glass!)
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
- 1/2 cup 1/3-inch cubes carrots
- 1 cup diced trimmed asparagus (about 4.5 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese plus additional for serving
- 1/4 cup thawed frozen peas or shelled edamame
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
- Olive oil
- 2 large eggs
Preparation
Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Set broth and water to warm on a side burner. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter (or a combination of butter and olive oil) in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute.
Add rice and stir until translucent at edges, 5 minutes. Add wine. Stir until liquid is absorbed, 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth/water. Simmer until broth is absorbed, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add carrots, asparagus and 1 cup broth. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Add remaining broth 1 cup at a time until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, stirring often and letting almost all the liquid be absorbed after each addition, about 25 minutes total.
Stir 1/2 cup cheese, peas/edamame, parsley and mushrooms into risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat about 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Cook eggs, without turning, until whites are cooked through and yolks are cooked to desired doneness (a little runny is divine).
Mound 1 cup risotto on 2 plates. Using back of spoon, make hollow in top of each mound. Top each with egg and serve, passing additional cheese.
Risotto has always been problematic for me. I don’t know if I’m doing it wrong, but invariably it turns out too sticky (cooking too long with too much liquid?) or the texture is somewhat…less than satisfying. Any tips? And, do you know where in Madison I can try some good risotto so that I know what the texture is supposed to be like?
I think the ratio is key — if you’re tasting it toward the end, when it starts to be “al dente” (with a little bite in the middle) you’re just about done, and you can probably stop adding liquid. Make sure you’re using decent rice (I get mine from the co-op). How long are you cooking it? Generally, it takes me about 30 minutes of adding broth to get a good consistency, keeping the heat med-low and stirring occasionally.
The question of who makes good risotto (restaurant-wise) is harder — the most recent times I’ve had it I was out of town! Osteria Papavero and Lombardino’s are my two favorite Italian places, but neither has risotto on their menu (according to the web). I can’t stand Tutto Pasta or Portabella, and I only get pizza at Greenbush. I guess, next time you’re at an Italian place, see if there’s risotto on the menu and order it? The consistency should be creamy and the rise should be a little loose, but holding together. Good luck!