Strawberry Risotto (Risotto alle fragole)

By cookism

Love is in the air! We believe that romance starts with the stomach, after all, love is tasteless without food. Likewise, food is tasteless without love, hence, here’s a dish made with love for your lover. This unusual risotto should not be mistaken for a rice pudding. The sweetness of the strawberries adds an extra dimension and color to the smooth,creamy succulence of the risotto rice. Finally, this is when the words ‘I Love You’ are not merely words.

(Recipe courtesy of Gennaro Contaldo)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp of Olive Oil
• Two Knobs of Butter
• 1/4 of Onion (finely chopped)
• 200 g of Arborio Rice
• 60 ml of Dry White Wine
• 400 to 500 ml of Hot Vegetable Stock
• 250 g of Strawberries (hulled and chopped into chunks, keep some for garnishing)
• 50 g of Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra to serve
• Salt (to taste)
• Balsamic Vinegar (to serve)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat large pan over medium heat. Add in a knob of butter and olive oil.
2. When the butter-oil mixture is heated, add in diced onions and sweat it until translucent and aromatic. Stir in rice followed by white wine and cook till the alcohol has evaporated. Stirring regularly prevents the rice from burning and sticking onto the pan.
3. Reduce the heat to low. Pour in a ladle of stock or two, stir frequently and allow it to simmer for a minute.
4. Stir in strawberry chunks and add in more stock along the way, one ladle at a time until the liquid in the pan is reduced and absorbed into the rice.
5. Continue to cook till rice turns al dente. Remove from heat and add in another knob of butter, freshly grated parmesan and salt to taste. Cover pan with a lid and allow it to stand for a minute.
6. Serve with strawberries, grated parmesan and a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar as you wish. Enjoy!