Tag Archives: risotto

Italian Wedding Risotto

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For a more substantial, main-course variation on Italian wedding soup, serve this garlicky meatball and spinach risotto with a drizzle of olive oil, grated Parmesan, and parsley. Pair with a side salad—dinner done.

Inspired by the classic soup, this heartier Italian wedding risotto is filled with just-wilted spinach and topped with crispy, garlicky meatballs. Use a cookie scoop to quickly portion out the meatballs; make a double batch and freeze half to whip up this dish in a flash. Remove the risotto from the heat while it’s still a little soupy — it will thicken slightly as it rests. 

A few changes we made started with baking (instead of broiling) the meatballs. The size of the meatballs was reduced slightly, creating 25 instead of 20. We preferred a less liquidy finish, so we reduced the water by 1 cup. And the fact that baby spinach wilts down to nothing, we used the entire package of 5 ounces. These alterations are all noted below.

While the original recipe said the total prep/cook time was 45 minutes, it realistically took over an hour; perhaps due to the fact that we baked the meatballs instead of broiled them.

Italian Wedding Risotto

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1/2 cup panko
  • 1 1/2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated with a Microplane (about 2/3 cup), divided, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste and for garnish
  • 4 cups chicken stock or broth, preferably homemade
  • 1-2 cups water (depending on how liquidy you want it to be)
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (2 oz.), divided 
  • 1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice (about 10 1/2 oz.)
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 5 oz. packed fresh baby spinach

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine pork, panko, 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, egg, 2 teaspoons chopped garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix gently with hands until just combined.
  2. Roll mixture into 20-25 meatballs (about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons each). Place meatballs 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Bake until browned and cooked through, 18-22 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 160°F. Set cooked meatballs aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
  4. Combine stock and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low.
  5. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, celery, and remaining chopped garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  6. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
  7. Add wine and cook, stirring often, until almost completely reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.
  8. Add 1 cup warm stock mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  9. Add remaining stock mixture, 1 cup at a time, stirring until liquid has been absorbed after each addition, until rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
  10. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in spinach; cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 30 seconds.
  11. Divide risotto and meatballs among bowls. Drizzle with oil; garnish with additional cheese, parsley, and black pepper.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Justin Chapple for Food & Wine

Lush, Velvety Risotto

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Lemon and Shrimp Risotto with Fresh Basil is a lovely dish that becomes even more flavorful if you use your own homemade shellfish stock. Don’t fret however if you don’t have any, you can always create a flavorful broth for simmering the risotto by steeping the shrimp shells and strips of lemon zest in water, as suggested in the directions below.

Another option, bring two 8-ounce bottles clam juice, 3 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt and the zest strips to a simmer in the saucepan and cook, covered, for 10 minutes to infuse, then strain as directed.

Milk Street’s version of the Italian risotto di limone is finished with an egg yolk and cream that enrich a lush, velvety risotto brightened with lemon zest and juice. For citrus notes that register at every level, stir in bright, puckery lemon juice and floral, fragrant grated zest just before serving.

Our notes: We increased the amount of shrimp from 12 ounces to 1 pound, and used a large yellow onion instead of a small one. It’s up to you how much shrimp and the size of the onion to incorporate. You might even consider using only 4 cups of liquid as opposed to 5, because it was still a bit too soupy for our liking — although the next day, the leftovers had thickened.

Don’t uncover the pot for at least 5 minutes after adding the shrimp. Lifting the lid releases some of the residual heat that’s needed to cook the shrimp.

Lemon and Shrimp Risotto with Fresh Basil

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lemons
  • 2 tsp. plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve
  • 1 lb. extra-large shrimp, peeled (shells reserved), deveined and patted dry
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil, roughly chopped

Directions

  1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from 1 of the lemons in long, wide strips; try to remove only the colored portion of the peel, not the bitter white pith just underneath. Using a rasp-style grater, grate the zest from the remaining lemon; set aside separately. Halve the lemons and squeeze ¼ cup juice; set the juice aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium, heat 2 teaspoons oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring constantly, until pink, 1 to 2 minutes. (If you are using your own homemade shellfish stock, you can omit this step.)
  3. Add 5 cups water (or your own shellfish stock), the zest strips and 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce to low and cook for 10 minutes.
  4. Pour the broth through a strainer set over a medium bowl; rinse out the pan. Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard. Return the broth to the pan, cover and set over low to keep warm.
  5. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 7 minutes.
  6. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are translucent at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes.
  7. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.
  8. Add 3 cups of the hot broth and cook, stirring often and briskly, until a spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a trail, 10 to 12 minutes.
  9. Add the remaining broth and cook, stirring, until the rice is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shrimp. Cover and let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes.
  10. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the lemon juice, egg yolk, cream, basil, and the grated zest. The risotto should be loose but not soupy. Taste and season with salt. Serve drizzled with additional oil.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe for Milk Street

Up Your Game with this Shrimp Risotto Recipe

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When preparing our weekly menus, we try to be as diverse as possible concerning the main entrée. And we certainly are suckers for trying new dishes or twists to an old favorite. Variety is the spice of life, right? We need a little variation during the extended periods of lockdown when we are all so weary of the challenges 2020 has thrown our way.

After seeing this Shrimp Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil recipe in our latest Milk Street magazine, it quickly prompted us to add shrimp to the grocery list. Classic risotto-cooking technique calls for adding hot broth in several additions to the rice as it cooks, as well as for constant stirring. This simplified method from Milk Street adds the liquid in just two batches with frequent but vigorous stirring which coaxes the starch from the grains, yielding a rich, velvety risotto with minimal effort.

The starchy, creamy consistency of carnaroli (or Arborio) rice is a perfect backdrop for the briny-sweet flavor of plump, perfectly cooked shrimp; juicy tomatoes; and fresh, fragrant basil.

Milk Street

Don’t forget to cover the pot after adding the shrimp; this traps heat in the pot so that the shrimp gently cook through. Ours took 8 minutes to become fully opaque. And just to note, we increased the quantity from 12 ounces to a full pound. That seemed more reasonable for 4 servings as a main course.

If you happen to have homemade shellfish stock on hand, use that in place of, or in addition to, the clam juice.

Shrimp Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 8-oz. bottles clam juice (or homemade shellfish stock)
  • 12-16 oz. extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined and patted dry
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve
  • 2 medium shallots, halved and sliced
  • 1 cup carnaroli or arborio rice
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • 1½ cups lightly packed fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

  1. In a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the clam juice and 2 cups water. Cover and microwave on high until hot, about 4 minutes; set aside, covered. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; set aside.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, tomatoes and garlic, then cook, stirring, until the grains are translucent at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until almost dry, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add 3 cups of the hot liquid and cook, stirring often and briskly, until a spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a trail, 10 to 12 minutes.
  5. Add the remaining hot liquid and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shrimp. Cover and let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. The risotto should be loose but not soupy; if needed, stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve the proper consistency.
  6. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the lemon zest and juice and all but 2 tablespoons of the basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with additional oil and sprinkled with the remaining basil.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Rebecca Richmond for Milk Street