Slow Cooker Spring Risotto
The traditional technique to create this dish is to slowly ladle in warm broth to a pot full of rice, then stir the broth until it is absorbed, then ladle in more broth and repeat (I am exhausted just thinking of it!) The goal is to take a few basic ingredients and coax them to a place that when served, the risotto spreads out into a silky, creamy flavourful pool.This Crockpot recipe achieves a similar and very tasty result in about an hour, without all the painstaking stirring and pouring. If you have the time, I encourage you to infuse your broth before making the risotto. The flavour of risotto is strongly defined by the broth, so the more flavour in, the more flavour out.
Equipment
- 1 3-Quart Slow Cooker Crockpot™ Design Series 3-Quart Manual Slow Cooker, Copper
Ingredients
Infused Broth
- 6 cups vegetable broth (store bought or homemade)
- 8 asparagus ends - woody pieces that you would normally discard (spears/tips will be used in the risotto)
- 1 celery stalk roughly chopped
- 12 pea shells or snow peas (peas will be used in the risotto)
- 4 green onions roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Risotto
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 4 cups of warm broth infused broth or regular broth, plus more if required
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 asparagus spears 2-inch tips cut off, then stem cut in ¼” pieces
- ⅓ cup peas plus 12 peas on the half pod (or ½ a cup if you are not using pods – fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan
For serving
- Lemon zest
- Fresh parmesan
- Basil leaves
Instructions
Infused Broth (make ahead):
- Add all the stock ingredients into the slow cooker. Simmer on high for 3-4 hours covered, then 30 minutes uncovered. Measure 4 cups for risotto and reserve any extra for finishing if required.
Risotto:
- Turn the slow cooker on high, add oil and heat for 5 minutes.
- Add rice and stir to coat.
- Add wine and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Add warm broth and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook for 50 minutes.
- The rice should be plump and there should be about 1 ½” of liquid on top. Place the asparagus pieces and shelled peas in the liquid, then add the half pods gently on top. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the half pods to a plate.
- Mix the rice. It should be creamy not sticky, and the rice should be just tender. If the rice is hard or the consistency is not creamy add some of the reserved warm broth, ½ cup at a time. stir to combine until creamy consistency is achieved.
- Add parmesan and stir to combine.
- Plate portions in rimmed bowls or on plates. Add pea pods (if using) around risotto, then add a few basil leaves. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan and lemon zest, the season with freshly ground pepper.
Video
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