A Spring Risotto From The Garden

                                        

A Spring Risotto From The Garden 

I never quite understood the unbridled excitement about fresh fava beans in restaurants—until I grew my own. I find such joy in these substantial beans that I can cook within a few hours—even minutes—of harvest. And while prepping them does take time, it is well worth the effort.

Two raised beds in my small backyard often yield spring harvests of fava, snow peas, snap peas, mint, and chives. If I pick a lemon on the way to the kitchen, this dish becomes a true expression of my spring garden!  Serves 4–6

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh fava beans (¹/³–½ cup shelled)

4–6 spears asparagus, woody ends removed, spears sliced into 1-inch pieces
8–12 snap peas (or snow peas), trimmed and strings removed
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion or spring onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 cups rice (carnaroli or arborio)
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped mint and chives plus some whole or lightly chopped leaves for garnish
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper to taste
½–1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
Your best extra virgin olive oil for finishing

Directions:

If you are starting with fava beans in their pods, remove and discard the pods and drop the beans into boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer to an ice bath, and when beans are fully cooled, drain and remove the skin that surrounds each bean by pinching one end to pop the bright-green bean out.

Blanch the asparagus pieces and snap peas briefly in boiling water. Set aside.

Heat broth to a simmer and keep it simmering on the stove.

Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch heavy-bottomed, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Then stir in the rice until it is evenly coated with oil. Add the wine and stir until it’s absorbed.

Add broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and keeping risotto at a steady simmer. When rice is creamy and al dente, stir in half of the vegetables.

Stir in chopped mint and chives along with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest to taste. Stir in the grated cheese (if using) and some of your best extra virgin olive oil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let risotto rest for a few minutes before serving.

Distribute the risotto into shallow bowls and divide the remaining fava beans, asparagus, and snap peas evenly among the servings. Garnish with the reserved mint and chives. Offer grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and extra virgin olive oil at the table so your guests can add more of each as they wish.

Serve as an entrée or a side dish with grilled or slow-baked salmon. A crisp white wine goes well with this dish.

Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan

                                                     

                                Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan

This asparagus soup tastes rich, yet it's made without heavy cream – just veggies, broth, and a bit of Parmesan cheese puréed to silky perfection.  Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

 2 bunches asparagus (about 2¼ pounds/1 kg), bottom ends trimmed
 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
 Handful fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill or basil (optional, for garnish) 
Directions
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.In the meantime, cut the tips off of one bunch of the asparagus and set aside (you'll use those for a garnish). Cut the remaining spears and the other bunch of asparagus into ½-inch (13-mm) pieces.

Add the chopped asparagus to the pot (minus the reserved tips), along with the chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.

Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes, or until tender-crisp. Drain the tips and then place them in a bowl of ice water to "shock" them—this stops the cooking process and preserves their bright green color. Once the tips are cool, drain them and set aside.

Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches, then return the soup to the pot.) Bring the soup back to a simmer and stir in the lemon juice and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. To thicken the soup, allow it to simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached.

Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.  Serves 4 to 6