I love spring! I love it for many reasons but the main one being that it ushers in all sorts of produce that makes me happy AND it peony season and they are my most favorite flowers of all times. One of my favorite spring items (besides peonies) is peas!! You can put them on just about anything and they’ll lend a pop of color and a burst of freshness which is exactly what I wanted in this Spring Pea Risotto!
Risotto is a long lost art form I think. It’s so simple to make but it requires a few minutes of undivided attention so we often forget about it. It’s not like it takes 2 hours of focus, I mean, have you met me… I’d never make it!! But the few minutes needed to whip this up result in a creamy, cheesy rice dish that can take on any flavor – today it’s lemon and peas! Perfect for spring. Also – side note (since I know you’ll ask!) how gorgeous is this risotto pan!? it’s a Lagostina and the top doubles as a serving trivet. I’m OBSESSED!! You’ll be seeing a lot more risotto over here in the coming weeks!
Fresh Pea Risotto
Creamy and cheesy this rice dish can take on any flavor – today it’s lemon and peas!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- 1/2 cup dry White Wine
- 2 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/3 cup mascarpone Cheese
- 1 ½ cups fresh peas quickly blanched
- pea tendrils to garnish
- lemon wedges
- kosher salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallot and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the Arborio rice to the skillet, making sure to stir it around in the olive oil so that each granule is coated with it, and toast it for about 90 seconds.
- Add the white wine and stir the rice until all the wine has been absorbed and then start adding the chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time, making sure not to add more until the previous addition has been absorbed.
- Once the rice is just tender, add the Parmesan and mascarpone cheese and combine. Add the previously blanched peas and carefully combine into the risotto. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with pea tendrils if available and a squeeze or two of lemon juice and serve.
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
Mmmm… mascarpone cheese? I love that idea!
This looks beautiful!
Without a doubt, pea risotto is my favorite kind. I could eat it every week. Thanks for posting!
This is such a pretty dish!
Yum! But what I really want is the post on what a blasty you’re no doubt having in NOLA! Saw Amanda’s post and the tweets from everyone 🙂
I heaved a sigh just reading this post, I guess because risotto is such comfort food. I must stir together a batch soon. The peas are a lovely addition.
OK, we’ve been enjoying ‘Pea-camole’: http://www.simplebites.net/salute-spring-peas-recipe-pea-camole/
It’s a fun way to get kids to eat their veggies, and is pretty fantastic spread on toasted baguette or layered in a 7-layer dip.
Thanks for hosting Spring Fling!
Aah, I too am on a pea kick! And I am always on a carb kick, obviously. This looks delicious…I just had a fantastic sweet pea risotto at the beach this past weekend, so I’m having no trouble imagining the cheesy wine-y deliciousness of your recipe. 🙂
This is a wonderful dish that you can eat warm or cold. My kids love to eat peas, well not so much my four year old. Lately we’ve been enjoying Garlicy Green Pea Dip, check it out at: http://smartfoodandfit.com/2011/03/green-pea-dip-childrens-book-give-away/
Beauty risotto! So tasty.
Shelling peas brings back so many childhood memories for me. I will definitely be making this!
I always find myself making risotto when I’m trying to eat healthy. I think it’s risotto’s way of convincing me that dieting is bad. 🙂
This was one of our favorite spring pea recipes this fall:
http://www.kitchenilliterate.com/2011/05/16/mushroom-chicken-and-spring-pea-penne/
I adore fresh peas!
We love little spring peas…..this risotto looks fab. My kids would love it, especially with all that cheese.
I am totally inspired by this recipe to embark on the somewhat daunting and intimidating task of shucking peas. It scares me. Tell me it isn’t as bad as it sounds AND that it’s worth it in the end! OR- does anyone sell pre-shucked peas…maybe?
I loved fresh peas so much.. I’ll surely try this recipe.
Love it – carb fest all the way!
This looks beautiful and really flavorful. Thank you for posting!
I associate a big bowl of risotto with comfort, it’s creamy goodness just soothes the soul.
Perfect recipe; for Spring Fling I would like to add http://www.dejavucook.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/fettucine-with-veal-peas-and-mint and http://www.dejavucook.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/straw-and-hay/
What a great dish to bring in Spring!
I recently made a lemon & squid ink risotto. So yummy! Love the spring pea idea!
Kari
I LOVE risotto! Pinned.
Can’t wait for all the spring produce!
I.CAN’T.EVEN!!!! This is soooo good! I’m just here sitting and staring at the screen and trying very hard to not drool! This is a stunner of a risotto with such a spring – summer vibe to it! Pinning, of course!
Peas are my FAVORITE spring veg. I remember afternoons spent in my grandfather’s garden picking them off the vines. They’re like candy! Great way to highlight them 🙂
Beautiful! Wish I had a bowl for lunch 🙂
Made this last night with braised chicken and a red wine vinaigrette salad. Was amazingly good!
Do you cook this on medium high the whole time? I’m on medium low and it still seems like I’m adding broth to it very frequently. I’m cooking it right now
anywhere in medium works!
Could you make this vegan and skip the cheese?
totally!
Thoughts on a mascarpone replacement? Or just leave it out?
cream cheese!
I’ve made this recipe a number of times, and it never fails to make me say Yummmmm.
Hi, love all of your recipes. Can’t wait to try this one. Could I use cream cheese instead? Or ricotta? Thanks x
cream cheese!
The perfect Spring dish! Delicious!
Can you make this with frozen peas?
sure can! just give them a quick blanch to warm them up and then toss into the risotto
for the life of me I can’t not find the serving # on this recipe
4!
Is there an alternative to the white wine?
This was amazing! My whole family loved it!
So delicious and creamy! I leave out mascarpone and use 3/4 cup Parmesan instead.