Risotto lends itself wonderfully to springtime flavors. Creamy and comforting yet light, it perfectly showcases the first vegetables of the season. Let’s discover a few recipes that will bring spring to your plate.
How to make a basic risotto?
The secret of a good risotto lies in its meticulous preparation and careful cooking. The success of this dish begins with the choice of the right rice, such as Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano, then the preparation of a hot broth suited to your recipe.
The base is built by sautéing a finely sliced onion in a mixture of butter and olive oil, before adding the rice to pearlize it until it becomes translucent.
After deglazing with dry white wine, the hot stock is added gradually, ladle by ladle, waiting for it to be absorbed each time. The cooking time should remain slow, around 18 minutes, and ends with the essential mantecatura step, which consists of incorporating butter and Parmesan cheese.
To prepare your risotto ingredients, a knife with a perfectly sharp damascus blade is essential for cutting tender spring vegetables precisely without crushing them, thus preserving all their flavors.
How to prepare a green asparagus risotto?
This risotto celebrates one of spring’s star vegetables: tender, slightly sweet green asparagus.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 320 g risotto rice (Carnaroli preferred)
- 2 bunches green asparagus (approx. 500 g)
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 10 cl dry white wine
- 1 liter vegetable stock
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 40 g butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- A few fresh basil leaves
Preparation
- Wash the asparagus and cut off the hard base.
- Reserve 8 tips for decoration
- Cut the rest into 2 cm lengths
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil
- Immerse asparagus pieces in water for 3 minutes
- Drain and plunge into iced water to fix color
- Blend half the asparagus to obtain a purée
- Heat the stock in a saucepan
- Finely chop the onion
Cooking
- In a large saucepan, sauté the onion in the butter-oil mixture
- Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute
- Pour in the rice and stir until translucent
- Deglaze with white wine and allow to evaporate
- Add the stock ladle by ladle, stirring regularly
- Halfway through cooking, add the asparagus purée
- 5 minutes before the end, add the reserved asparagus pieces
- Off the heat, add the Parmesan and remaining butter
- Cover and leave to rest for 2 minutes
Serve garnished with asparagus tips and a few basil leaves.
How to make a risotto primavera with seasonal vegetables?
This colorful risotto brings together all the treasures of the spring vegetable garden.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 320 g Arborio rice
- 100 g fresh shelled peas
- 8 green asparagus spears
- 2 baby carrots
- 1 small fennel
- 1 early zucchini
- 1 spring onion with stem
- 1 garlic clove
- 10 cl white wine
- 1 liter vegetable stock
- 50 g Parmesan cheese
- 40 g butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- A few sprigs of fresh mint
- salt and pepper
Preparation
- Prepare all the vegetables:
- Cut the asparagus into chunks
- Finely dice the carrots and zucchini
- Thinly slice the fennel
- Chop the spring onion
- Quickly blanch the peas and asparagus (2 minutes)
- Heat the stock
Cooking
- In a casserole dish, sauté the onion and garlic in the butter-oil mixture.
- Add the carrots and fennel and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the rice and pearlize.
- Deglaze with white wine
- Start adding stock ladle by ladle
- Halfway through cooking, add the zucchini
- 5 minutes before the end, add the peas and asparagus
- Finish with the Parmesan, remaining butter and chopped mint
- Season to taste
This colorful risotto is a veritable springtime tableau on the plate.
How do you prepare a risotto with peas and ham?
Simpler but just as delicious, this risotto is sure to please young and old alike.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 320 g Carnaroli rice
- 400 g fresh shelled peas (or frozen)
- 150 g cured ham, thinly sliced
- 1 onion
- 1 liter chicken stock
- 10 cl dry white wine
- 50 g Parmesan cheese
- 40 g butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- A few fresh mint leaves
- salt and pepper
Preparation
- If using fresh peas, blanch for 3 minutes in boiling salted water, then cool.
- Keep 1/3 whole and blend the remaining 2/3
- Cut the ham into strips
- Finely chop onion
- Heat the stock
Cooking
- Sauté onion in butter-oil mixture until translucent
- Add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and allow it to evaporate
- Start adding the hot stock, one ladle at a time
- Halfway through the cooking time (approx. 10 minutes), add the pea purée
- Continue cooking, adding the stock gradually
- 3 minutes before the end, add the whole peas
- Remove from heat and stir in half the ham, Parmesan and remaining butter.
- Cover and leave to rest for 2 minutes
Serve the risotto decorated with the remaining ham and a few chopped mint leaves.
How to create a mushroom and asparagus risotto?
This recipe combines two springtime treasures: asparagus and fresh mushrooms.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 320 g risotto rice
- 1 bunch green asparagus
- 300 g fresh button mushrooms
- 100 g fresh morels (or 30 g dried)
- 1 shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- 10 cl dry white wine
- 1 liter chicken stock
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 40 g butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- salt and pepper
Preparation
- If using dried morels, rehydrate in lukewarm water for 30 minutes.
- Carefully clean all mushrooms and cut into pieces.
- Prepare the asparagus: cut off the hard base and slice into 3 cm sections.
- Blanch the asparagus for 3 minutes in boiling salted water, then cool.
- Finely chop the shallot and mince the garlic.
- Heat the stock in a saucepan
Cooking
- In a frying pan, brown the mushrooms with a knob of butter and a pinch of thyme.
- In a casserole dish, melt the remaining butter with the olive oil.
- Add the shallot and garlic and sweat without browning.
- Add the rice and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Deglaze with white wine and reduce
- Start adding the stock ladle by ladle
- Halfway through the cooking time, add the mushrooms
- 5 minutes before the end, add the asparagus
- Finish with the Parmesan cheese off the heat
- Cover and leave to rest for 2 minutes
This risotto is ideal with a dry white wine such as an Italian Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc.
In conclusion, risotto is a magical dish that adapts to all seasons, but spring brings an incomparable freshness and lightness. Don’t hesitate to experiment with other seasonal vegetables such as broad beans, baby carrots or even the first cherry tomatoes. The secret is always the same: fresh produce, careful cooking and lots of love in the preparation!
