Springtime Risotto

This creamy springtime risotto is a light, tasty side dish. I like it with the sweetness and crunchy texture of the red peppers, but it would work equally well with other veggies, like peas and asparagus. We served it with grilled steak and asparagus.

 

Ingredients:

drizzle of olive oil
a pat of butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c arborio (risotto) rice
2/3 c of white wine 
6 c. chicken broth or stock
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 c. pecorino romano, grated
salt and pepper

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a saucepan. When hot, add in the onions and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then, add in the rice and toast until transparent. De-glaze the pan with the wine and once the alcohol has cooked off, add chicken stock in batches of one cup, stirring regularly. Once the first cup of liquid is absorbed, add in another cup and continue this until all the stock is absorbed by the rice and the rice has a creamy texture. When you have about 1-2 cups remaining of the liquid, toss in the red peppers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. After the rice is tender and creamy, grate in some pecorino romano cheese. This recipe makes about 6 servings - and makes great leftovers. Enjoy!