Spring Vegetable Risotto
40 mins
Serves 4-6
"Can you feel it? Spring is in the air. The days are longer, the trees are blossoming and best of all, it’s time to celebrate seasonal fresh vegetables! Hopefully, if there’s not too much more of that wild weather, there will be a nice variety of spring fruits and vegetables throughout New Zealand. Here in the Waikato, my family will be enjoying a bountiful harvest from our home garden, as well as crop-swapping and sharing with neighbours. The farmer’s markets are always a great source of local fruit and vegetables in spring when our favourite fruits and veggies are at their peak of flavour and nutrition.
Many towns around New Zealand also have local groups which host get-togethers to share produce. In Hamilton we have the Go Eco Environment Centre which sometimes has vegetable swap-meet days, and Kaivolution which will take away any excess you can’t use or swap, to donate to people in need. Many towns have a Timebank - it’s worth having a look in your vicinity to see what groups are around for sharing produce.
I’m getting better at growing vegetables in my own back yard and I love looking around to buy anything which I can’t grow myself. Here are a few of the delicious vegetables we can expect to find in season this spring:
Asparagus is delicious and contains iron, vitamins C and B6 and fibre.
Radishes can easily be underestimated, but they’re a good source of vitamin C and very easy to grow. Try them thinly sliced in a salad for a gentle touch of spice, or in my risotto recipe (below).
Peas are sweet little protein powerhouses and will provide you with vitamins A and C. They can be cooked in many ways, or eaten straight out of the garden.
Spinach is a good source of vitamin C, iron and magnesium. Try it raw, cooked, or juiced.
All this talk about seasonal vegetables is making me hungry! So, I’d like to share one of my favourite recipes containing seasonal veggies. Remember, fruits and vegetables are at their peak nutritional value when they’re grown in the right environment and harvested at the right time. Enjoy!" Tristan Hooker
Print recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Arborio rice
- 4 Cups vegetable stock
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 Cup asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Cup fresh peas
- 1 Cup spinach leaves
- 4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Fresh parsley or mint leaves for garnish
Directions
- In a large pot, heat the vegetable stock over medium heat. Keep it simmering while you prepare the risotto.
- In a separate pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing until they become translucent.
- Add the Arborio rice to the pan, stirring it for a couple of minutes until it becomes slightly toasted.
- Begin adding the simmering vegetable stock to the rice, one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked but still slightly al dente, about 20-25 minutes.
- In the last few minutes of cooking, add the asparagus, peas, and spinach. Cook until the vegetables are tender, yet still vibrant green.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sliced radishes, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Serve the risotto hot, garnished with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
