This totally started off as an “I need to use things up and make dinner” dish. But it turned out really well. Walnuts go really well with vegetables in savory dishes and added a subtle complexity to the flavor of this dish. Actually, this dish is all about subtle. And how lots of different subtleties together can create something rich and beautiful. This is not a dish where any one flavor “pops” or stands out, but where a number of flavors marry and blend together to create something synergistically delectable. One note – use homemade broth if you can, the flavor will be immensely better, and I really enjoy having some control over the saltiness of my dish. For my broth I used some leftover from when I last boiled an artichoke. I think this really made the dish. So, go have yourself a great mini meal of some boiled artichoke dipped in yummy herb garlic butter the day before, and then make this risotto! Ok, I understand not everyone is in love with artichokes the same way I am. But I will at least advocate getting in the habit of making homemade veg. broth and using some here!
Jenn Cuisine
Ingredients:
1 head garlic, 3 tbs EVOO
1 shallot, chopped
3/4 cup arborio rice
2 tbs. EVOO
splash sherry
juice of a lemon
5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup ground toasted walnuts (I actually keep this in my pantry and make large batches at once – it’s also great in pancakes or waffles or for making cheesecake crusts)
1 tsp. herbes de provence
salt & pepper
1 bunch asparagus, chopped
1 cup peas, choppped
1/4 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
4 oz. cheese, grated (I used parm, but gruyere would work nicely here as well)
Directions:
1. Chop off the tops of each clove of garlic in the garlic head, and place head in a small bowl. Pour 3 tbs. EVOO on top, and roast in oven at 300 F for at least 1 hr, until browned and soft. Save the garlic pieces! It is best to do this step about an hour before you start the actual risotto.
2. In pot with large surface area, add in EVOO, garlic pieces, and shallot. Saute on med-high for 2 min, then add in rice. Saute one more minute. Meanwhile, start broth simmering in a separate pot on the stove.
3. Add a splash of sherry to the rice and squeeze of lemon, stirring while you do. After another minute or so, add in about 1/2 cup of broth, and turn heat down to med, or so is just simmering. At this point add in your walnuts and veggies and seasonings.
4. Gradually add broth a little at a time stirring fairly frequently, until the rice is plump and soft.
5. Once risotto is done, add in your grated cheese and toss in your roasted garlic.
6. Serve and enjoy!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
If you have CS3 or CS4, try going to File/Open As, choose Camera Raw as the file type, and then open the image. Photoshop will open it with the Adobe Camera Raw, which should let you play with the color temperature and tint. Add a bunch of magenta in, and that cast should go away pretty easily.
This dish looks great – I love that you added walnuts!
And what a difference photo correction makes, right??
Thanks for the broth tip and photoshop is amazing!
my hubby built me a photobox to help with my lighting issues and they still have issues! but looks great. i love risotto.
Yeah I really just need to invest in some actual decent lighting…I made a photobox but w/ crappy light it’s just bouncing around crappy light beautifully…..but actual purchases are going to have to wait til I graduate and can get a job w/ a pay grade higher than being a grad student!
Hmm I didn’t know you could open up non RAW files w/ the RAW editor! This would make life SO much easier. I just have the cheapo photoshop elements though I’ll have to try to see if it will let me open up non-RAW files in RAW editor. That or buy an actual macro lens for my DSLR so that I can just shoot in RAW…
Yeah this was the product of a number of photo filter & color variation adjustments – I think I did a bit too much magenta though cause there is a slight magenta cast just above the risotto….