Eat: This easy spinach risotto recipe may look sophisticated, but it’s pure comfort food.
As the weather cools, comfort food calls. Risotto is my favorite one-dish meal, sophisticated and comforting all at once.
Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish that uses a high-starch rice like Arborio or Vialone Nano, cooked slowly in broth to release the starch and add creaminess. It can be served as a first course, main or side, or even as an appetizer — leftover risotto makes wonderful arancini.
It may sound fancy, but it’s actually very easy. You begin by sauteing onions, then adding rice and sauteeing it with the onions for a few minutes, before slowly adding broth. The key lies in the stirring, which allows the rice to slowly absorb the broth, a ladle at a time.
Spinach and goat Gouda are used in this version, but you can use your favorite leafy vegetable — kale, say, or Swiss chard. I like using goat Gouda or drunken goat cheese because its creamy texture blends nicely with the spinach and rice. It’s also tolerated by many people who have an intolerance to cow dairy. (Of course, you can substitute non-goat cheese in this recipe, too.)
Just before you add the last ladle of broth, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese along with the broth. Cover and let sit for a few minutes. This technique makes for an extra creamy risotto.
Risotto with Spinach and Goat Gouda
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use 2garlic cloves, minced 1 pound baby spinach, washed 8cups chicken stock or canned, lowsodium broth 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 small onion, finely chopped 3 cups Arborio rice 1⁄2 cup white wine, such as sauvignon blanc 3tablespoons unsalted butter 6ounces goat Gouda, grated
DIRECTIONS
In a large deep skillet, heat 1tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30seconds. Add spinach leaves and cook, tossing, until wilted, 1to 2minutes. Drain the spinach and transfer to a bowl. In a saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. In a large deep saute pan, heat the remaining 1tablespoon oil. Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook for 1 minute. Then add 1cup of stock and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has absorbed most of the chicken stock, about 3minutes. Continue to cook the risotto, adding 1cup of stock at a time and stirring constantly between additions, until the stock is absorbed. The risotto is done when it is creamy and the rice grains are just tender, about 20minutes. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese, cooked spinach and 1 remaining ladleful of chicken stock. Cover and let sit 2minutes. Stir, then serve immediately.