Risotto alle Ortiche
Risotto needs constant stirring (releasing and distributing the starch, ensuring creaminess and even cooking of the grains), so you do need to stand by the pan while you cook, which can be a very soothing activity if undertaken mindfully at the end of a long day. If you’ve got guests, grab a glass of wine and chat while you stir.
A note on nettles: we are talking about the tips of the plant that start to appear in March. Roughly speaking a 'handful', my handful, yields 30g. So grab about 3 for two people. Keep your rubber gloves on until you've blanched them (see below). Yes, I'm a wimp with pain, but it will spoil your enjoyment of cooking with nettles, if you do get stung.
Ingredients
Serves 2 (but can be doubled)
100g Nettles (roughly 3 handfuls)
1l stock, chicken or vegetable (a cube or powder will do if can't get real)
30g butter
2 shallots or small onion (up to 150g), finely diced
180g Risotto rice
75ml white wine (see Notes on my recipes)
40g grated Parmesan
25g butter, hard from the fridge, diced
Method
Prepare a bowl of iced water (the bowl needs to be big enough to hold the nettles. Fill it with water, add ice cubes).
Bring a sauce pan (big enough to hold the nettles) of salted water to the boil. Rinse the nettles in the sink (wear rubber gloves or use tongs so you don’t get stung), cut away any thick stems; when the water’s boiling put the nettles in the pan for 30 seconds; drain in a colander and put them straight in the bowl of iced water. Swish about, remove and squeeze as much water out (there will be no sting).
Pop through a food whizzer to make a purée, it doesn’t have to be too smooth; if you don't have one, chop finely.
Melt the 30g of butter in a frying pan, add the onion or shallot and fry gently for a few minutes until translucent.
Put the stock into a saucepan and bring to a low simmer, keep on that low simmer as you cook the risotto.
Add all the rice and stir for a few minutes, until it’s coated in butter.
Add all the wine, stir until it nearly disappears. The heat needs to be low to medium.
Then add the stock, ladle by ladle, stirring after every ladle until that nearly disappears. As you stir, your risotto needs to be very gently bubbling. It needs to end up 'al dente' with a bit of a bite. If you're unsure about this, have a bite after 10 mins and feel how uncooked it is.
After having used half the stock, add the nettles. Again, if you're unsure about getting to 'al dente', have another bite now, the rice will be more cooked, but will still taste raw.
Keep adding and stirring in ladles of stock until you have reached 'al dente''. This usually takes around 25 minutes. You might not need all the stock.
Stir in the parmesan and the 25g of cold, diced butter. Your risotto should be not too wet and soupy, nor too dry. You are aiming for 'al dente rice' in a creamy, glistening coating. If too wet, keep cooking; if too dry add a splash of stock, if you've run out, add a splash of freshly boiled water from the kettle instead.
Taste it, add salt to taste, if required, and a scrunch of black pepper.
Serving suggestions
Serve with a radicchio and blood orange salad, dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. You'll have a meal of green, red, orange, purple: eating the rainbow! Sprinkle on some seeds or roasted nuts (for crunch and nutrients, protein if you've made it veggie). Enjoy with a glass of Italian white wine. My preference would be a Piedmontese Gavi, or my favourite and trickier to source, a more aromatic choice, Roero Arneis. Finish up with a tiramisù or a panna cotta with some roasted rhubarb.
Testing rating: PTBT - Partly Tested By Tom (see Notes on my recipes). I processed the nettles and Tom made the risotto. He got it beautifully 'al dente' first time!
