Roasted Garlic Black Pepper Risotto

 

I could make and eat risotto just about every day. It’s fun to watch a pan of raw Arborio rice and a pot of simmering broth become a warm and comforting dish. It works as a side dish or a main dish on its own, so it’s suitable for any meal. It can take on so many different flavorings and add-ins that it would never become tiresome if, you know, you really did decide to make it and eat it every day.

My most recent risotto excursion featured roasted garlic and black pepper, which was so delicious I just had to tell you about it. As much as I love roasted garlic, I was still very pleasantly surprised by how good this was. I roasted a head of garlic and stirred the resulting mellow but flavorful paste in to basic risotto made with just a bit of shallot, dry white wine, and vegetable broth. While roasting garlic takes out a lot of its sharp, assertive bite, a whole head of it infuses a simple pan of rice with plenty of luscious flavor. That garlicky goodness even stands up well to a big punch from freshly cracked peppercorns, which give each bite a finishing and lingering buzz.

 

While all that garlic and peppercorn bring plenty of flavor, some fresh herbs would be at home here, too. A different cheese might also be good in place of the Parmesan I used, although I’d go with something mild rather than sharp. Chicken broth would be good in place of the vegetable broth, and you could go without the wine if you don’t tend to have any on hand. (I like to use one I can drink alongside my risotto during the meal.)

I used a different vegetable broth than I usually do, and it was saltier, resulting in a risotto that was a bit on the salty side. I love salty, so I didn’t care, but next time I will taste my broth before I start, and decide whether additional salt is needed. I tried to reflect that sensibility in the recipe below, and recommend you work from personal taste here.

While this seems to finally be the beginning of the end of winter, it was very cold and snowy when I made this recipe. My household has also been sick. This big punch of flavor nestled into a smooth, soft, comforting dish was just what we needed to continue to believe in anything good. I now know just the recipe to turn to when things get rough for us again next winter. Not that cold and snowy is required. This great Roasted Garlic and Black Pepper Risotto will be delicious all year.

Roasted Garlic Risotto with Black Pepper

Adjust the added salt as needed based on the sodium content of the broth you use in the recipe. Chicken broth would be good in place of the vegetable broth, too.

1 medium-size head garlic

Olive oil for roasting garlic

5 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium shallot, finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste, depending on how salty your broth is)

1 cup Arborio Rice

½ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper (or to taste), plus more for serving

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove the papery outer covering from the garlic head, while keeping the cloves intact. Slice a small amount off the top of the garlic head, exposing a bit of the cloves. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 F for about 1 hour, or until very soft. Remove from the oven, and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft roasted garlic out of the skins. Mash to form a paste. Set aside.

2.  I a medium-size saucepan, heat the vegetable broth to a simmer. Reduce the heat and keep the broth hot, but not boiling.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until it is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the ½ teaspoon salt (or salt to taste) and the rice. Stir to coat the rice with the oil and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.

4. Add about ½ cup hot broth. Cook, stirring frequently until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid. Continue to add the broth ½ cup at a time and stirring the rice until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, but not yet mushy. You may wish to stop cooking when there is still a bit of a bite in the middle of the rice grains. I prefer my risotto rice quite soft. You may not need all of the broth to cook the rice. The whole process will take 20-30 minutes.

5. Stir in the roasted garlic, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon (or to taste) black pepper. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve sprinkled with additional black pepper.

Makes 4 main dish servings, or 6-8 side dish servings.

Other recipes like this one: Spring Vegetable Risotto, Zucchini Cheddar Risotto

Another recipe featuring roasted garlic: Cheddar Bacon White Bean Salad

Zucchini Cheddar Risotto

When you have a dish that’s seems infinitely variable, like risotto, and an ingredient that seems to go just about anywhere, like zucchini, you just know they’re destined to be together somewhere, somehow. That’s kind of what went into the making of this summer version of risotto. Well, that and cheddar cheese.

I came across the idea to make a cheddar risotto in a cookbook by Nigella Lawson. (I think it was Nigella Express.) I was going to be perfectly happy trying that out on its own, but then summer came and so did the zucchini, and the risotto got some green stuff in it, too. While I’m partial to risotto, and usually like it just about any way, I particularly loved this variation. I also particularly loved this dish as a vehicle for zucchini!

I use the same basic formula for each risotto variation I try, and whether you use this one or a customized recipe of your own, I encourage you to develop a go-to system as well. It allows you to swap in whatever seasonal flavors you desire, and the closer you are to committing something like this to memory, the closer you are to impromptu deliciousness at the drop of a spoon. 

 

I like the 5 cups broth to 1 cup Arborio rice ratio, which makes a rather soupy risotto. I liked the way the cheddar and broth made a saucy pool for the soft rice and zucchini to lie in. If you like your rice firmer and your risotto less saucy, go for it. You just need to use less liquid and cook your risotto for less time, tasting and stopping when you like where you are.

And I like where this risotto is: seasonal, resourceful (in helping to use up all that August zucchini), cheesy, downright delicious.

Zucchini Cheddar Risotto

5 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 medium-size clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

1 cup risotto rice (I used Arborio)

½ cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)

1. In a medium-size saucepan, heat the vegetable broth to a simmer. Keep the broth hot, but not boiling.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook about 1 minute more.

3. Add the ½ teaspoon salt, rice, and thyme. Stir to coat the rice with the oil and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.

4. Add about ½ cup hot broth. Cook, stirring frequently until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid. Continue to add the broth ½ cup at a time and stirring the rice until the liquid is absorbed until the rice is tender, but not yet mushy. You may not need all of the broth to cook the rice. The whole process will take 20-30 minutes.

5. With the last addition of broth, stir in the zucchini. Cook and stir until the liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Taste the risotto for seasoning and add more salt if desired.

Makes 3 or 4 main-dish servings, or will serve more as a side dish.

Other recipes like this one: Spring Vegetable Risotto, Summer Squash Casserole with Basil and Onion

One year ago: Lemon Curd

Spring Vegetable Risotto

At least one more run with asparagus, please. It’s been such a good year for it that I’m wondering if the asparagus spears are in cahoots with the rhubarb in its plans for world domination. The important part is that I can still get asparagus in the local farmer’s market, so I can try out my dreamy idea of a Spring Vegetable Risotto.

I don’t make risotto very often, although I feel like I’m getting more proficient at the process of making it. It really doesn’t need a precise recipe if you like to be more free-wheeling in the kitchen. You just need enough broth to make your rice as tender and creamy as you like it, and an appropriate proportion of mix-ins and flavorings.

I started to get more comfortable with making risotto when I made the switch from cooking it in a deep saucepan to cooking it in a skillet. I feel like the risotto cooks more evenly, and, well, I can see it all better when its spread out in a large skillet in front of me. It also seems to cook faster this way, but I can’t say I’ve ever done a minute to minute comparison between saucepan risotto and skillet risotto.

In this version I featured blanched asparagus and peas, along with some finely chopped arugula. My home-grown arugula is at the end of it’s good run in the pot on my back patio, and is getting rather bitter, but I found it a good compliment to the sweet peas and asparagus. I flavored everything with fresh thyme, garlic, shallots, parmesan cheese, and a light, homemade vegetable broth.

It probably goes without saying that you can customize the flavors and seasonings in this recipe, using other seasonal vegetables as they become available, perhaps some blanched sugar snap peas, for example, or lots of flavorful herbs. You can also customize the texture. If you like that little almost crunchy bite of starch in the middle of Arborio rice, you can stop cooking at that point. If you like your rice softer, like I do, you can continue to add broth and keep going. If you would like it to be extra creamy, you can add extra liquid at the very end and don’t let it all get absorbed. Or, you could add extra butter or cream, or more cheese.

I gwrote down exactly how I made this particular seasonal version of risotto, so I give you a recipe rather than guidelines below. I loved the way it turned out, with the mild, creamy rice working as a good base for bright and fresh spring vegetables (although I did use frozen peas), and a soft, slightly creamy texture. The parmesan cheese is wonderful here, as is the bit of fresh thyme, and an occasional peppery bite from the arugula.

Yes, risotto takes a little time to make, but you don’t really have to attend it as meticulously as legend has it. I usually can at least put together a salad between frequent stirrings. And it seems that “frequent” is indeed the operative word when it comes to risotto stirring. It should also be the operative word with regard to making risotto, too!

Spring Vegetable Risotto

I used a homemade vegetable broth, but you could use a store-bought one that you like or chicken broth, which will add a significant chicken flavor. I prefer to use a light-colored broth for appearance, but flavor is, of course, most important.

5 cups vegetable broth

1 cup finely sliced asparagus

½ cup peas, fresh or frozen

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1 medium-size clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

1 cup risotto rice (I used Arborio)

½ cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup finely chopped arugula

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. In a medium-size saucepan, heat the vegetable broth to a full boil. Add the asparagus and peas. Cook until the asparagus is tender but not mushy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the asparagus and peas and set aside. Keep the broth hot, but not boiling.

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until it is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook about 1 minute more.

3. Add the ½ teaspoon salt, rice, and thyme. Stir to coat the rice with the oil and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.

4. Add about ½ cup hot broth. Cook, stirring frequently until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid. Continue to add the broth ½ cup at a time and stirring the rice until the liquid is absorbed until the rice is tender, but not yet mushy. You may not need all of the broth to cook the rice. The whole process will take 20-30 minutes.

5. Stir in the cooked asparagus and peas and the arugula. Stir in the parmesan and butter. Taste the risotto for seasoning and add more salt if desired.

Makes 2 large main-dish servings or 4-5 side-dish servings.

Other recipes like this one: Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Asparagus and Peas,  Baked Pasta with Cheese and Spring Vegetables, Quinoa and Spinach Casserole,