Summertime Risotto Recipes

SUMMER RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a large skillet, saute onion in oil and butter until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in 1 cup warm broth. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed., Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to be absorbed between additions. Cook until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender (total cooking time will be about 20 minutes)., Add the tomatoes, corn, feta cheese, herbs, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

SUMMERTIME RISOTTO

Steps:

• Tomatoes
• Heat oven to 250°F. Gently toss tomatoes in 2 tsp oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake on a nonstick baking sheet 1 hour. Puree tomatoes in a blender with lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
• Zucchini
• Heat 1 tsp oil on medium heat in a medium pan. Cook garlic and half the onion until translucent; add zucchini and cook 5 minutes.
• Risotto
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium pot on medium heat and sauté remaining onion until translucent. Add rice and cook 2 minutes. Gradually pour in wine, stirring until rice absorbs wine. Add broth 1 cup at a time until absorbed, stirring continually for 20 minutes or until rice is tender (add more broth if necessary). Once rice is cooked, stir in tomato puree, butter and cheese. Set aside.
• Scallops
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Salt and pepper scallops and cook both sides until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Spoon risotto on plate and top with scallops, tomatoes and parsley.

SUMMERTIME RISOTTO

Steps:

• Tomatoes Heat oven to 250°F
• Gently toss tomatoes in 2 tsp oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake on a nonstick baking sheet 1 hour.
• Zucchini Heat 1 tsp oil on medium heat in a medium pan. Cook garlic and half the onion until translucent; add zucchini and cook 5 minutes. Puree zucchini mixture in a blender with lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Risotto Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium pot on medium heat and sauté remaining onion until translucent. Add rice and cook 2 minutes. Gradually pour in wine, stirring until rice absorbs wine.
• Add broth 1 cup at a time until absorbed, stirring continually for 20 minutes or until rice is tender (add more broth if necessary).
• Once rice is cooked, stir in zucchini puree, butter and cheese. Set aside.
• Scallops Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Salt and pepper scallops and cook both sides until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Spoon risotto on plate and top with scallops, tomatoes and parsley.

SUMMERTIME RISOTTO (RISOTTO ALL'ESTATE)

Steps:

• Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a 2 quart saucepan over low heat.
• Add in the onion and saute slowly until soft.
• Add in the zucchini and garlic, briefly saute over medium heat until the garlic gives off it aroma.
• Heat the broth in another pan until it is very hot; turn off the heat, but keep the broth hot.
• Add the rice to the zucchini mixture and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, saute until the rice is opaque and makes a clicking sound against the metal of the saucepan, approximately 1-2 minutes.
• Add the hot broth to the rice one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently.
• The rice should cook very slowly over low heat.
• Wait until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful of broth.
• Midway in the cooking time, add the basil and salt and pepper to taste.
• When the risotto is al dente, add the mozzarella, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and the parmesan cheese.
• Turn off the heat and stir vigorously until all the oil and cheese are absorbed; serve immediately.

SUMMER RISOTTO

Steps:

• Simmer the stock for 10 minutes with the asparagus trimmings and pea pods; these will intensify the flavour. Strain into a jug.
• While the stock is simmering, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wide, shallow pan. Tip in the onion and fry gently for 5-6 minutes, stirring, until it is soft but not coloured. Add the rice and continue to stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until the grains become see-through at the edges and begin to make 'clicking' noises.
• Add the wine (it should bubble and evaporate), then 50ml/2fl oz of the stock. Stir well and simmer gently until all the liquid has been absorbed. Now pour in another 50ml/2fl oz stock and stir again. Continue adding the stock and stirring. After about 7 minutes, when half the stock has been added, swirl in the asparagus and peas. Carry on adding stock in small amounts until it has been absorbed; this will take about 10 more minutes. Now the risotto should be a little wet and sloppy and the rice tender with a nutty bite.
• Turn off the heat, then gently stir in the grated Parmesan, taste and season. You may need only a little black pepper as the Parmesan and stock are both salty. Spoon the risotto on to a plate, top with the rocket, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and scatter with Parmesan shavings. Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy your meal.

LEMON RISOTTO WITH SUMMER SQUASH

Steps:

• Put your stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that the stock or broth is well seasoned.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the squash and a generous pinch of salt. Turn the heat up to medium high, and cook, stirring often, until the squash is translucent but not too soft, about five minutes.
• Stir in the rice and the garlic, and stir until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine, and stir until it has been absorbed. Turn the heat back down to medium, and begin adding the simmering stock a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until the rice is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion, stirring in more stock when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often.
• When the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy, in about 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley and Parmesan. Remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn't). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.