Saffron Risotto With Spring Onion, Saffron and Green Garlic

Saffron Risotto With Spring Onion, Saffron and Green Garlic
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(110)
Comments
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This is inspired by — but much lighter than — risotto Milanese, the mother of all risottos. If you’ve never made a risotto, start with this utterly simple classic. Green garlic resembles spring onions or leeks. The young bulbs have not yet set cloves. The flavor isn’t at all sharp, but more like the flavor of leeks. Prepare as you would leeks.

Featured in: Risottos Perfect for Spring Vegetables

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves four to six

    For the Saffron Risotto With Spring Onion, Saffron and Green Garlic

    • About 7 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
    • 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • ½cup finely chopped spring onion or leek
    • cup finely chopped green garlic (about 2 bulbs)
    • Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
    • cups arborio or carnaroli rice
    • Generous pinch of saffron threads
    • ½cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
    • Freshly ground pepper
    • ½cup freshly grated Parmesan
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

414 calories; 11 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 913 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. For the Saffron Risotto With Spring Onion, Saffron and Green Garlic

    1. Step 1

      Put the stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat with a ladle nearby. Make sure that the broth is well seasoned.

    2. Step 2

      Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan. Add the spring onion, green garlic and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown.

    3. Step 3

      Add the rice, and stir just until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Rub the saffron between your thumb and fingers, and stir into the rice. Add the wine, stirring until it has been absorbed. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about ½ cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly nor too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until the stock is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock. Continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock when the rice is almost dry and stirring. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy, in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste, and adjust seasoning.

    4. Step 4

      Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the Parmesan, and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy. Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than lumping into a mound.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: You can begin several hours before serving. Proceed with the recipe, cooking halfway through step 3 — that is, for about 15 minutes. The rice should still be hard when you remove it from the heat, and there should be no liquid in the pan. Spread an even layer in the pan, and keep it away from the heat until you resume cooking. If the pan is not wide enough for you to spread the rice in a thin layer, transfer it to a sheet pan. Fifteen minutes before serving, bring the remaining stock back to a simmer, and reheat the rice. Resume cooking as instructed.

Ratings

4 out of 5
110 user ratings
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Comments

This was nice and texture wise I think I happened to make one of the best risottos I've ever made. I have to say I did add a bit of butter at the end because I felt like there was something missing.

This was nice and texture wise I think I happened to make one of the best risottos I've ever made. I have to say I did add a bit of butter at the end because I felt like there was something missing.

This was an elegant dish with our salmon Wellington for Christmas. I've never made risotto before but found the directions easy to follow. The mistake I made was to add too much chicken stock at the end but no one complained. The saffron is simply beautiful!

This was very good, but very simple by itself. I added shaved carrots near the end and served with slow roasted carrots and silverbeet, and gremolata. Delicious!

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