Baked Mushroom & Pea Risotto with Chive oil and Meyer Lemon Salt / by Judy Kim

by Judy Kim

Baked Mushroom & Pea Risotto with Chive oil and Meyer Lemon Salt

Yield: 4 servings

This is one of my favorite Winter into Spring crossover meals since it combines a warm risotto with Spring peas. Now, I know there are a lot of wonderful risotto recipes out there, but I love this one because it finishes in the oven and gives you a break from standing at the stove. But it still creates such a rich and creamy consistency. And it gives me a little time to make some extra fixings.

For a little extra something something, I topped this with a bright green chive oil but my absolute favorite part is the meyer lemon salt. (Are you obsessed with these little lemons too? I live for meyer lemons and blood oranges, the highlight of the Winter season. Meyer lemons seem to be available for a bit longer luckily.) It's so bright and tangy. You'll want to make extra of both of these and put them on EVERYTHING. Might make the best scrambled eggs you'll ever have. Seriously, put them out for all meals.

INGREDIENTS

5 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 pound cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 pound frozen pearl onions

Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 bunch chives

Flaky sea salt

1 meyer lemon

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium saucepan warm vegetable stock over low heat.

  2. In a Dutch oven melt butter over medium-high heat and add garlic, thyme and mushrooms. Using a wooden spoon sauté for 5 minutes. Add onion and 2 teaspoon salt, continue to stir for 2 minutes. Add the rice and wine, stir until wine is absorbed about 2 minutes. Bring to a boil and reduce to low heat. Ladle in 2 cups of warm stock and continuously stir until rice absorbs most of the liquid, about 5 minutes.

  3. Stir in last 3 cups of stock and place lid on Dutch oven. Bake for 15 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, bring small sauce pan to a boil. Blanch chives in boiling water for 20 seconds and using tongs transfer to an ice bath. Drain and pat dry very well. Add chives to a blender with a pinch of flaky sea salt or kosher salt and with the machine running on medium speed slowly add olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube. Increase speed for 10 seconds after you've finished pouring in oil. Strain through fine mesh strainer using a wide spoon to squeeze the solids into a clean bowl. Discard solids. Transfer oil to a small jar and refrigerate for storage. Preferable to use chive oil at room temperature.

  5. Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel of half a meyer lemon. Add peels to the bowl of mini prep or food processor and pulse until well ground. Add flaky sea salt and pulse twice just to incorporate without pulverizing the salt crystals.

  6. Remove from oven. Stir in cheese, black pepper and peas. If the risotto is too thick, add in a splash of stock. Garnish with chives, drizzle with chive oil and sprinkle meyer lemon sea salt. Serve immediately.

 

Adapted recipe from "Insanely Easy Weeknight Dinners" on Delish.com.