Summer in Manhattan is not pleasant at all; first the humidity makes you feel like you are melting away. And the smells, oh the smells… what is that? Yes it’s beautiful, the trees are green and the river view from my window is great especially in the morning with the sunrise. Central Park looks amazing. But you have to hide inside with air conditioner cracking, to be able to think straight. Every summer I probably kill the environment a bit with all my showers and my AC cracking. All the time I go out I come back and jump to a cold shower. I can’t stand sweating. Last year Astoria (an eclectic cool neighborhood in Queens) was left in the dark for days, and a friend of mine who lives there called and cursed my a** She said it was my entire fault she had no electricity (she was probably right). As far as food goes, all I can think about is salads and fruit juice. But when I saw this cute little zucchinis in the market I couldn’t resist, I stuffed them with some risotto primavera. The difficult part was withstanding the oven heat. But with a nice refreshing glass of wine I was happy.
Risotto Primavera
- 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 pound thin asparagus
- 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and zucchinis and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons salt, and 1-teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm. Squeeze the lemon juice when the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.