Best Risotto With Herb Pesto Potato And Green Beans Recipes

GREEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming, but is not simmering.
• Rinse spinach thoroughly with cold water and place in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in it. Microwave on High until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze out excess moisture. Transfer to a food processor or blender, add basil and puree until smooth; set aside.
• Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add shallots (or onion) and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and salt and stir to coat.
• Stir 1/2 cup of the hot broth and a generous splash of wine into the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to cook on medium-low, adding broth in 1/2-cup increments followed by a splash of wine, and stirring frequently after each addition, until most of the liquid is absorbed. The risotto is done when you've used all the broth and wine and the rice is creamy and just tender, 25 to 35 minutes total. Stir in the reserved spinach-basil puree.
• Remove from the heat; stir in 3/4 cup cheese and pepper. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

EASY PESTO RISOTTO

Steps:

• Make the homemade pesto by combining the first four ingredients in a food processor until they have made a rough paste. With the machine running, slowly add the oil. Salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce seems dry (it should be a thick paste), add a bit more oil.
• In a large heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on low.
• Add onion and cook until soft and translucent.
• Raise heat to medium and add rice, stirring** until the rice looks chalky and you can see a white dot in the center of the grains (3-5 minutes).
• Stir** in one cup of chicken stock. When the stock is absorbed, stir** in another cup. Repeat this for the third cup of stock as well.
• Begin adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, along with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Stir** continuously until the stock is absorbed. Keep repeating this process and start tasting the risotto. The rice should be tender yet slightly firm to the bite - taking care to not overcook the rice. Adjust more or less pesto with each tasting, to your preferences.
• Remove the risotto from the heat when it is almost, but not quite done.
• Fold in 1 tablespoon of butter, then gently fold in the Parmesan cheese.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Enjoy this pesto risotto!

PASTA, GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Make pesto: In the bowl of food processor, add basil, pine nuts, salt and garlic. Pulse until mixture is coarse and grainy. With the motor running, add oil in slow, steady stream. Add cheese; process just enough to mix well. If sauce is too dry, add a little more oil. Taste; add more cheese or salt, if desired.
• Bring 6 quarts water to rolling boil. Add at least 2 tablespoons salt and the potato slices. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until potatoes have started to soften but are not cooked through. Add green beans, and continue boiling another 5 minutes.
• Add pasta, and stir. Start testing pasta at 5 minutes. When it is done, and when potatoes and beans are tender, drain and turn pasta and vegetables immediately into preheated bowl. Add pesto, and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• To make the pesto, turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add the basil, pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, salt, pepper and olive oil. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the Parmesan, and pulse until well combined. You can also use a mortar and pestle: Add the basil leaves gradually, and mash with the pestle. Add the pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper. Mash to a paste with the basil. Work in the olive oil and the Parmesan.
• To make the risotto, bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan, and add the green beans. Boil for five minutes, remove the green beans with a skimmer, and refresh with cold water. Turn down the heat under the stock, and keep at a simmer. Make sure that it is well seasoned.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the rice. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until the grains separate and begin to crackle.
• Add the wine. Cook, stirring, until there is no more visible in the pan. Stir in enough of the simmering stock to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add more stock. Continue to cook in this fashion - stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry - until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
• Add the green beans and another ladleful or two of stock to the rice. Stir in the pesto, taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, stir a couple of times, and serve. The risotto should be creamy.

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND PESTO

Steps:

• Put well-seasoned stock or broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about 3 minutes. Do not brown.
• Stir in rice and garlic and stir until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Add wine and stir until it is no longer visible in the pan. Begin adding simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir continually, but stir often. After 10 minutes, add asparagus and continue to stir and add stock for another 10 to 15 minutes, until rice is cooked through but still al dente.
• Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in pesto and additional cheese and remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Mix should be creamy (add more stock if it isn't). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

RISOTTO WITH HERB PESTO, POTATO, AND GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Pulse pine nuts, garlic, and herbs in a food processor until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper; with motor running, stream in 1/3 cup oil until combined. Season to taste.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add green beans and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Add potato to pot and simmer until tender but not falling apart, about 6 minutes; drain.
• In same pot, combine broth, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and maintain a bare simmer, partially covered (to avoid evaporation).
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium. Add onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent and grains begin to make a popping sound, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in wine; cook until mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds.
• Ladle about 1 cup broth mixture into skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of broth has been absorbed and bottom of skillet stays visible for a second or two as you mix, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue ladling broth into skillet, about 1/2 cup at a time (or enough to just cover rice), stirring often and allowing rice to absorb most of broth before adding more, 15 to 20 minutes. When rice is cooked through but still al dente and sauce has thickened, stir in 1/2 cup pesto, green beans, and potato; cook just until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and add cheese, a good drizzle of oil, and a few spoonfuls of remaining broth. Stir vigorously to create a silky sauce. Check seasoning and stir in more pesto, if desired. Serve with a drizzle of oil, topped with more cheese and pepper.