Risotto with Braised Greens

 

FIRST, HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE AND BE READY TO TAKE THE RISOTTO STRAIGHT TO THE TABLE TO EAT.

Braise greens before you start.  See recipe.

• 2-3 cups of braised greens
• 5 cups homemade chicken broth.  (You can use boxed stock but I promise you it won’t taste as good)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4-5 Tb butter
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 C White wine
• Zest from 1 lemon
• ¾ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (or pecorino cheese if you can’t have cow’s milk)
• Sea salt at the end…if needed.  It depends on how salty your stock is.

In a separate pot

bring your stock to a boil with a lid on.  Keep it boiling with a lid on during the cooking process so it’s hot enough when you add it to the rice mixture.  Have a ½ cup measuring cup handy.  You’ll be adding the stock ½ cup at a time for about 30 min. so ….

Pour yourself a nice glass of wine

and put on “The 3 Tenors”.   Food tastes better cooked with pleasure and love.

In a large sauté pan with a heavy bottom:

• Add ¼ cup olive oil
• 4-5 Tb butter

Once melted add:

• 1 onion –diced

After the onion begins to smell sweet and is well sautéed add:

• 2 cups Arborio rice

Stir over medium heat for 2-3 min.  Keep the burner at medium heat.

Begin adding chicken stock from the other pot  ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly.  Cook until the stock is absorbed. (Now you know why I told you to pour a glass of wine!)

Then add the next ½ cup stock and keep stirring.  After adding about 2 cups of stock taste for the desired saltiness.  You never know how salty your stock might be.  If it tastes under salted, add 1-2 tsp to the boiling stockpot.  If it’s too salty add some white wine or water to your boiling stock to thin it a bit.

About half way through adding the stock, add 1 Cup of white wine.

Continue adding stock 1/2 C at a time until most of it has been used and the rice tastes done.  You don’t want to serve undercooked rice.

REMEMBER-the parmesan cheese will add a significant amount of salt to the finished recipe.

Right before you add the last ½ cup of stock

Fold in

• 2-3 cups of braised greens
• The shredded parmesan cheese and
• The Zest  from one lemon

Make sure the rice is cooked and check for salt.  Stir and turn out onto a heated platter.  I usually have my platter soaking in very hot water while I’m cooking the risotto.  Take the platter straight to the table where the family is waiting for a very big treat!

Mangia!

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