Peas, Fava Beans, Mushrooms on Lemon Risotto

The garden brought forth peas and fava beans this past week. Time for a shelling party! Yes, they both are a slow food activity, but the marvelous flavors are well worth it. If you have limited time and want a quick dinner, use frozen peas and fava beans. They only need to be thawed and thrown in with the browned mushrooms to heat briefly. Overheating either peas or fava beans will render brownish-grey peas and beans, and the peas will become crinkled. If just barely heated through both give off a vibrant green color and fresh sweet flavor.

ONWARD:

To compliment these sweet green garden vegetables, make a bed of creamy, lemon risotto. Three varieties of Italian rice produce a creamy porridge called risotto. Often Superfino Arborio riso (rice) is used. In the Veneto region, Vialone Nano rice is predominant. Carnaroli is another variety of premium riso. In this recipe, I prefer to use the Vialone Nano variety. If you cannot find this type of rice, either of the other two will do. As the rice is stirred with broth each grain ruptures producing the velvety texture of a classic risotto, a dreamy comfort food.

4 entrée servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups vegetable broth

¾ teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

⅓ cup onion, minced

1 cup Vialone Nano rice, otherwise Arborio or Carnaroli rice will work

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or to taste

1 ½ cups shelled fava beans, about one-pound whole pods

1 cup shelled peas, about 1 pound whole pods

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, ¼ inch sliced, about 12 medium mushrooms

⅔ cups Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated

¼ cup lemon juice, about 1 medium lemon

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Heat the vegetable broth and three-fourths teaspoon salt. Reserve hot.

2.     In a wide-bottomed saucepan melt one tablespoon butter and two tablespoons olive oil. When the oil shimmers add the onion and cook until the onion is soft or translucent. Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

3.     Add the rice and continue to cook without browning, stirring until the rice is coated with the oil and turns opaque, about one and one-half to two minutes.

4.     Add enough hot broth to cover the rice barely. Stir the rice with the wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed most of the broth, and when the spoon is drawn through the rice, it creates a wake.

5.     Keep adding small amounts of the broth to the rice and stirring until the rice is creamy and has just a slight crunch. At this point turn off heat and cook the topping.

6.    Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the fava beans, bring back to a boil, and blanch for three to four minutes or until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon to the ice water bath. When the fava beans are cool, lift the beans with a slotted spoon to a colander and drain. Peel and discard the tough outer skins. Add the peas to the boiling water and boil for one to two minutes until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon to the ice water bath. When cool drain in a colander.

7.     Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the mushrooms flat side down in a single layer if possible. Brown on the flat side then add the butter, fava beans, and peas. Heat thoroughly. Season with salt. Reserve warm while finishing the risotto.

8.     Add the remaining one tablespoon butter, cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the risotto over medium-high heat. Taste, Think, Transform with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.

9.     Top the risotto with the beans, peas, and mushrooms. Flourish with the fresh mint.

Yield: 4 entrée servings

Author: chefsharingthetable.com

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Peas, Fava Beans, Mushrooms on Lemon Risotto

The garden brought forth peas and fava beans this past week. Time for a shelling party! Yes, they both are a slow food activity, but the marvelous flavors are well worth it. If you have limited time and want a quick dinner, use frozen peas and fava beans. They only need to be thawed and thrown in with the browned mushrooms to heat briefly. Overheating either peas or fava beans will render brownish-grey peas and beans, and the peas will become crinkled. If just barely heated through both give off a vibrant green color and fresh sweet flavor.

prep time: 30 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 60 M

ingredients:

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• ⅓ cup onion, minced
• 1 cup Vialone Nano rice, otherwise Arborio or Carnaroli rice will work
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 ½ cups shelled fava beans, about one-pound whole pods
• 1 cup shelled peas, about 1 pound whole pods
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, ¼ inch sliced, about 12 medium mushrooms
• ⅔ cups Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
• ¼ cup lemon juice, about 1 medium lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

instructions:

How to cook Peas, Fava Beans, Mushrooms on Lemon Risotto

1. Heat the vegetable broth and three-fourths teaspoon salt. Reserve hot.
2. In a wide-bottomed saucepan melt one tablespoon butter and two tablespoons olive oil. When the oil shimmers add the onion and cook until the onion is soft or translucent. Stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
3. Add the rice and continue to cook without browning, stirring until the rice is coated with the oil and turns opaque, about one and one-half to two minutes.
4. Add enough hot broth to cover the rice barely. Stir the rice with the wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed most of the broth, and when the spoon is drawn through the rice, it creates a wake.
5. Keep adding small amounts of the broth to the rice and stirring until the rice is creamy and has just a slight crunch. At this point turn off heat and cook the topping.
6. Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the fava beans, bring back to a boil, and blanch for three to four minutes or until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon to the ice water bath. When the fava beans are cool, lift the beans with a slotted spoon to a colander and drain. Peel and discard the tough outer skins. Add the peas to the boiling water and boil for one to two minutes until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon to the ice water bath. When cool drain in a colander.
7. Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the mushrooms flat side down in a single layer if possible. Brown on the flat side then add the butter, fava beans, and peas. Heat thoroughly. Season with salt. Reserve warm while finishing the risotto.
8. Add the remaining one tablespoon butter, cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the risotto over medium-high heat. Taste, Think, Transform with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
9. Top the risotto with the beans, peas, and mushrooms. Flourish with the fresh mint.

Calories

375.77

Fat (grams)

23.90

Sat. Fat (grams)

9.46

Carbs (grams)

30.59

Fiber (grams)

4.46

Net carbs

26.13

Sugar (grams)

5.57

Protein (grams)

11.73

Sodium (milligrams)

1094.20

Cholesterol (grams)

37.29

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Created using The Recipes Generator