For the next couple of months, we’ve got a stricter budget than usual. That means we’re REALLY cooking with what’s in the kitchen, and tightening up how often we get take out or go out to eat. Truthfully, we don’t eat out or opt for take out too often—maybe once every couple of weeks—but it’s made me dig more deeply into the resources we have available and not run out for an ingredient.
To that end, this recipe involves just four or so ingredients: Arborio rice, peas, shallots and green beans. (I added in edamame when I realized I needed more veggies.) When you are stocked with staples, you have flexibility. During this transitional time of year, where we’re not yet in the swing of farmers’ markets and local produce, and we’ve kind of had it with root veggies, I think green and turn to the freezer. Seems a little counter-intuitive to embrace the freezer, but we want green things. Well, at least I do—and I’m the one in the Dharma Kitchen cooking, so…
As would luck would have it, the freezer contained amounts of veggies perfect for this recipe. I originally wanted to amp this up with an ooey-gooey fried egg on top, but alas, when I went to the fridge, I remembered we’d eaten all the eggs the night before. And when I went to crack open one of the hard-boiled eggs we’d dyed for Easter, my 7-year-old-boys raised a protest and that was the end of that brainwave. I think they want to keep them forever.
Some caveats, though, before we get down to it. I often cook with a Penzey’s mix I love called shallot pepper, and it happens to work well with the flavors of the ingredients in this particular dish. Shallots are total culinary underdogs of the allium world, often missed by home cooks, but used regularly by chefs. If you don’t have the shallot pepper, it’s okay. Just make sure you use a good coarse salt (see here for The Culinary Exchange’s words on why it’s important to salt during cooking) and freshly cracked pepper. Additionally, if you’re using frozen ingredients, you may notice that your risotto requires less than the typical ½ cup increment of stock toward the end, because the veggies have given off water.
This could feed four, if you serve a salad on the side. It easily fed me and my boys; we have leftovers.
- ¾ cup shallots, chopped (about 2 medium)
- 2 T. unsalted butter or cooking oil of your choice
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 tsp. dried chervil (chives would also work)
- 1 tsp. Penzey’s shallot pepper (optional)
- 4 cups stock or water (approximately)
- 1 cup edamame
- ¾ cup green beans
- ½ cup peas
- 2 T. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter or oil over medium-high heat and add the shallots.
- Cook for several minutes until the shallots begin to soften.
- Then, add the shallot pepper (or salt and pepper) and/or the dried chervil, along with the rice.
- Stir to coat the rice with the herbs, salt and pepper mix, for about a minute or so. You don’t want to burn the rice.
- Add ½ cup of water or stock and stir constantly until the water is absorbed.
- Continue cooking in this manner, adding ½ cup of stock at a time. Risotto requires your constant attention, so stay with it. If you agitate the pan by shaking it over the heat and stirring vigorously, it helps to release the starches in the rice, which makes it creamy and, incidentally, cook a little faster. It just needs more than a little nudge.
- When the rice has almost softened to al dente and plumped up in size, add the frozen veggies and stir to combine. You’ll likely notice they will release some more water and you may not need more stock. This is a bit of a judgment call; just taste the rice and you’ll know.
- Finally, stir in the Pecorino Romano and serve immediately.
- When risotto is handled in this manner—firmly, with authority but attention to detail—it usually cooks in about half an hour. Adding frozen veggies cuts down on the prep time considerably, so just factor that in, based on what you have on hand.
