| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 47 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 27 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings for dinner, 6 servings for appetizer |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
- 1 cup chopped fennel
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 pound thin asparagus
- 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
- When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
- Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 740 |
| Total Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 96 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Protein | 27 g |
| Cholesterol | 51 mg |
| Sodium | 1619 mg |
Reviews
I agree that the picture does not do it justice even though before adding the asparagus, peas, lemon zest and chives it does appear a little drab. But that’s kind of most risottos in my experience. It is the blanched asparagus and thawed frozen peas that offer a fresh crisp spring bite and the lemon zest is bright and memorable, and mentionable. My guests loved it, my husband and i loved it. my two year old wouldn’t try it, even after calling it cheesy rice with her favorite vegetable-peas. But I’ll keep trying on her. The marscapone is lovely. This was my first time making this recipe or any of Ina’s recipes on my own actually. I will be making it again though! I served it with Ina’s roast chicken. Both turned out perfectly. Thank you Ina! Two recipes in one night. I may be a new convert. 🙂
This delicious recipe transported us back to Italy. We loved all the flavors and how they blended. I followed to recipe except for cooking times. The asparagus would have been overcooked if I had blached it for the full time, then cooked it extra time in the risotto as directed. Since it was thin and cut into small pieces, I blanced it for about 3 minutes til crisp-tender. I added it, along with the defrosted peas, to the risotto when it was just short of done, about 5 minutes. That way they provided a nice contrast in texture to the creaminess of the risotto and kept their color as well. I garnished the dish with a gtind or two of pepper, some grated parm, the suggested extra chives and some fronds from the fennel. It was both delicious and pretty on the plate. What a lovely meal! Highly recommended.
This is a delicious dish! I was hesitant to make risotto after reading about how easy it is to ruin it in so many ways. I made it just as noted with one exception. Since I was making it for a small dinner party, I wanted to make it ahead as much as possible while I enjoyed my guests. The “serve immediately” wasn’t going to work. I used Ina’s advice from another source and it worked beautifully. I stopped the recipe making at about the last two ladles and before adding the peas, etc. Then I put it on the back burner with no heat until I was ready to continue, keeping the stock simmering. I think it even improved my chances of a perfect arborio rice being creamy yet not mushy. I’ll definitely make it again experimenting with other add-ins.
Husband and I had a bowl of this risotto with 2 dozen mussels steamed open in left over champagne – one of our best dinners ever! Will have to freeze some risotto however – made a big pot.
We loved it! Ina’s recipes are always the best!!!!!!!!
Great recipe. With all the chopping and rinsing of vegetables, this dish took more like 75-90 minutes to make. You also need to use a big pot. I cooked some lemon pepper chicken in the oven to complement the risotto. I cooked the asparagus and frozen peas longer than recommended so my 14-mo old would eat them (she is currently rejecting vegetables and meat but LOVED this recipe). I replaced the wine with more chicken stock since my hubby drank it all. We are quarantined, so he wasn’t going to go back to the store! I will be freezing some of the plentiful leftovers. Yum!
This is the first printing of her recipe which accidentally excluded the artichokes, so I did use those…but then went & forgot the peas!! Still, the family liked. Did think it needed garlic, garlic powder, & onion powder and really could use some light protein like fish and/or shrimp. Will for SURE make again!
I made this exactly by the recipe except that I added some shiitake mushrooms I needed to use up, and it was delicious!!
Delicious! I did cut back on the salt, otherwise made as written. It makes a large amount so I shared with my neighbors – their almost two year old loved it!
This is the standard Rite of Spring. I’ve made it many times and plan to make it for Easter. I add frozen artichoke hearts from another Ina risotto recipe. I just made a batch of homemade chicken stock because it really makes a difference and is kind of fun to make. You need to make it in a Dutch oven and it takes 30 minutes at a strong simmer. The lemon and mascarpone at the end make this risotto special. Don’t be afraid to make it because it’s just simple steps and stir stir stir especially when you add stock. I let my guests help. Go for it!