Today we are heading to Italy with this “risotto with gorgonzola, peas and mint”, which I always prepare in a cocotte . This is one of my favourite risotto recipes: creamy, smooth and with the explosion of peas in every bite. Risotto is one of the most traditional dishes of Italian cuisine; to get a super creamy rice it is essential to use a good rice for this task: Arborio, Carnaroli, etc. Due to the capacity of these rices to absorb liquid, they will give us that typical pasty texture of risotto.
In addition to what has already been mentioned, we must follow a few simple guidelines: cook the rice in a sauté pan so that the rice absorbs all the fat; add the wine and wait for it to be absorbed by the rice and finally add the hot broth little by little, stirring constantly so that the rice releases the starch little by little. This will make our risotto create a very creamy mass. To finish, we must remove our Le Creuset® cocotte from the heat and add the crumbled gorgonzola cheese.
A good risotto should be creamy without the need to use any type of cream; the starch in the rice will be enough and, of course, it should not have excess liquid. One thing to keep in mind is that the rice, once removed from the heat, continues cooking with the residual heat.
Along with rice and paella, risotto is one of those dishes that is perfect for a big family meal. These dishes are ideal for sharing and are ready in no time. All you need is good ingredients and a lot of love. And if you can also boast a Le Creuset® cocotte , what more could you ask for?
Finally, I would like to remind you that if for any reason you do not use a special rice for risotto, you should know that you will not need as much broth, since these rices have a great capacity to absorb liquids that a normal rice will not have. So my advice is to use Arborio –for example– and enjoy a proper risotto.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of EVOO
- 25 g butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 350 g Arborio rice
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 1.25 l hot vegetable broth
- 200 g fresh peas
- 200 g spicy gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- 2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation
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In a Le Creuset® cocotte, heat the oil and butter. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the chopped garlic and rice and stir well to coat the rice with the oil and melted butter. Continue stirring until the grains become transparent.
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Add the white wine and stir constantly for approximately 1 minute or until reduced.
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Add the hot broth little by little with a ladle, this process can take about 15 or 20 minutes. Add the fresh peas and continue stirring for about 10 more minutes until the rice absorbs all the liquid and we have a creamy rice.
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Remove from the heat and add the crumbled gorgonzola cheese and chopped fresh mint and stir well. Finally, taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve immediately.
Le Creuset Cocotte and T&G Acacia Wood Paddle
