Recipe: Spring Veggie Risotto

from Molly Willette-Green at Greenville Supper Club

Featured Recipe: Spring Veggie Risotto

from Molly at Greenville Supper Club

Molly’s a Michigan transplant to Greenville who will keep you feeling inspired to cook at home. I asked her to share one recipe she was most looking forward to making with spring produce. She graciously provided this yummy version of risotto:

When dreaming about March, I’m still conditioned to think of drab and dreary days filled with partially-melting snow piles, trees stripped of leaves and the alternating winter storm with a balmy 40 degree day, and the question of “will winter ever end?!” always present. Growing up in Northern Michigan will do this to a person, so the fact that I can already have plants growing and producing in March and April boggles my mind. 

Nowadays, instead of dreaming of warmer places, I celebrate spring by being outside as much as possible, preparing my garden for summer, nursing the last of the cold-tolerant greens, and picking my spring veggies to play with in the kitchen. Garlic scapes, scallions, kale, oh my! Here is one of my favorite recipes for the spring season: 

Spring Veggie Risotto

Serves 6 as a meal or 8 as a side - leftovers work really well pattied up and pan fried to get crispy edges - serve them with a poached or fried egg on top for a lovely brunch entree! 

3 Tbs. Butter

8 Garlic Scapes, roughly chopped 

1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces 

1 c. Snowpeas, cut into bit-sized pieces

½ yellow onion, finely chopped

1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish 

2 c. arborio rice

6 c. chicken broth (I usually use Better than Bouillon paste mixed with water)

1 c. dry white wine

¼ lemon 

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic scapes, asparagus, snowpeas, and a pinch of salt. Saute until the veggies are tender while keeping some crispiness. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Set aside. 

Warm the chicken broth and have it ready in an easily pourable vessel (large pyrex is perfect). 

Heat the final 2 tablespoons of butter in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and a pinch of salt, cooking until they are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add rice and stir to coat, stirring until the rice becomes slightly opaque (about 1-3 minutes). Add the wine and stir until it is fully absorbed. Add 1-2 cups of chicken broth, stirring constantly. When the broth is absorbed, repeat the process with another 1-2 cups of chicken broth and stir. Repeat this process until you’ve used all of the broth. This will take about 30 minutes and the rice should be almost completely cooked. 

After you’ve added all of the broth, and there’s very little broth remaining, add the veggies and parmesan, and mix thoroughly. Add juice from the lemon and mix. Salt to taste. 

Serve in warmed bowls, topped with additional parmesan, as desired.