When spring finally makes an appearance around here, it does so with an explosion of green. Trees that have stood gloomily bare for months begin to leaf out all at once, beckoning us to wake up(!) and get ready for the warmer days to come.
Thus the inspiration for this lovely green spinach risotto.
It’s a simple risotto—made in the classic way with risotto rice, stock, wine, and Parmesan—with the addition at the end of a half pound of chopped baby spinach with a little lemon zest and juice to brighten the flavors.
A tip about making risotto—use a rice that is meant for risotto, like arborio or carnaroli—and don’t rinse the rice. You want to use a starchy rice because it’s the stirring and slow even cooking that helps loosen the starch to create the creaminess of the risotto.
Risotto is best served immediately. It starts to firm up quickly after you make it. If you have leftovers and want to reheat, loosen with more stock.
Spinach Risotto Recipe
We are using baby spinach because of its convenience and tenderness. If you are using mature spinach, thoroughly rinse it first. You may want to blanch it first for a few seconds, before chopping and using in this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 5 Tbsp butter, divided 4 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (dried herbs such as basil and thyme)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups (400 g) risotto rice (arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 5 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces baby spinach, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt, more to taste
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