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La Belle Cuisine
Spring Risotto
 
Second Helpings from
Union Square Cafe:
140 New Favorites
from New York's
Acclaimed Restaurant
by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano,
2001, HarperCollins
“Risotto is an excellent vehicle for seasonal ingredients that go well
together,
and here are three that sing of spring. You’ll have no trouble
finding asparagus,
but if you can’t get your hands on ramps – the baby wild
leeks whose very brief season makes them elusive and difficult to find –
substitute an equal amount of spring onions or leeks.
The same holds true
for the morels. Their woodsy flavor
and spongy texture are
ideal for this
dish, but other mushrooms would also
provide delicious results. As
fresh
products of the earth, spring ingredients often bring with them unwanted
sand or dirt. It’s worth going to the extra effort of washing them
thoroughly. To
clean morels, split them in half lengthwise and
place them in
a large bowl of
cool water. Swish them around well and lift them out of the
water with your
hands. Repeat with fresh water as many times as necessary,
until there are no
more grains of dirt or sand in the bowl. Work quickly to
avoid ‘waterlogging’
the morels and place them immediately on paper towels
to dry.”
Serves 4
to 6
5 to 6 cups
chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound asparagus, washed, tough ends
snapped off, tips cut off in
1-inch
lengths,
stalks cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1/4 pound morel mushrooms, split or
quartered,
depending on size,
and
washed (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup washed and sliced ramps, spring
onions,
or
leeks (white part only)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 3/4 cups Arborio rice
1 1/2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
1. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
2. In an 8-inch (3-quart) heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 table-
spoons
of
the
olive oil over high heat. Add the asparagus and
cook, stirring,
until
softened,
2 to 3 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the morels and ramps, onions,
or
leeks and
cook until softened 3 to 4 minutes. Season with 1
teaspoon salt and
1/8
teaspoon pepper. Using a slotted spoon,
remove the asparagus,
ramps,
and
morels from the pan
and reserve.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the
shallots
and garlic and cook until softened but not colored, about
1 minute.
Add
the
rice and stir with a wooden spoon to coat with
the oil.
5. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and stir constantly until the rice
has
absorbed the wine.
6. Ladle 1/2 cup of hot chicken stock into the pan and stir until it is
absorbed. Continue with the rest of the stock, adding 1/2 cup at
a
time
and
letting
each addition become absorbed completely
into
the rice
before adding
more liquid. The constant stirring
allows
the rice to
release its starch
into
the cooking liquid, result-
ing in
the characteristic risotto creaminess.
The
grains of rice
should
be al dente. Count
on approximately 20 to 25
minutes
for the
rice to cook.
7. When the rice is al dente and creamy, fold in the reserved aspar-
agus,
morels, and ramps or onions and heat through. Stir in the
butter,
2 1/2
of teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4
cup of the
Parmigiano.
Spoon the risotto into a serving bowl or
individual
bowls, sprinkle with
the
remaining cheese, and serve
immediately.
Wine Suggestions: Wines with earthy sweetness pair beautifully
with the
risotto.
Try an Oregon pinot noir or a Côte Chalonnaise
Burgundy like
Rully,
Mercurey,
or Givry. Just as delicious would
be a Rioja, Barbaresco,
or, for
a white, Vouvray.
Featured Archive Recipes:
Risotto 101
Risotto Primavera
Risotto Porcini Casserole
Spring Pea Risotto with
Spicy Herb Sauce
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