Spring Vegetable Risotto

Spring is just now starting to well, ….spring! It’s still pretty cool, though, so I needed a risotto. Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought of putting baby artichokes in but I saw them (affordably priced!) at my regular grocery this morning.

Ingredients:

5 cups vegetable broth

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup chopped spring onion (or green onions or regular onions, whatever!)

1½ cups Arborio rice

2 cup chopped mushrooms (cremini, Portobello, white, use what you like)

2 cups chopped asparagus

5 baby artichokes, trimmed of sharp, pointy tops and the steams and then quartered (or 1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped)-optional

½ cup fresh peas (or frozen, thawed)

1 Tablespoon butter

½ cup grated parmesan, plus more for garnishing

Salt to taste, if needed

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Truffle oil for garnishing-optional

Directions: Heat the broth to just simmering in a pot on the stove. Heat a large skillet over medium low to medium heat and add the oil. Add the onions and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring, until the rice is nicely coated with oil and the onions are just soft (about 5 minutes). Toss in the mushrooms, asparagus and artichokes, if using. Cook and stir for a few minutes to get the veggies warm. Stir in one ladle of warm broth. Continue to cook and stir until the broth is absorbed and then add another ladle of stock. Continue doing this until all the broth is added and the risotto is creamy (about 20-30 minutes). Taste to check the rice. It should be soft. If it still is kind of hard in the middle, cover with a piece of foil and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. If the risotto isn’t as creamy as you would like, just add a little water. Turn off the heat and add the peas, butter and parmesan. Cook for just one minute longer. Stir in the lemon zest. Taste and add salt if needed. Spoon into bowls and garnish with more parmesan and truffle oil.