Pea, lemon and pecorino risotto
Spring is such a wonderful time to cook and eat peas, regardless of whether they’re fresh or frozen. One of my favourite ways to eat them is in this pea risotto, which is lifted with lemon and pecorino. You could use grana padano or parmigiano reggiano, but the bite of pecorino goes particularly well with the sweetness of the peas.
If you’re lucky enough to have a glut of fresh peas, make your own stock by simmering the emptied pea pods with a bay leaf, half an onion and a good pinch of salt.
Ingredients
200g fresh or frozen peas
1.2 litre vegetable or chicken stock
small handful of parsley leaves
juice of ½ a lemon
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 French shallots (eschalots), finely chopped
300g carnaroli or other risotto rice
125ml dry white wine
30g pecorino romano, finely grated, plus extra to serve
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
zest of a lemon
Method
Step 1
Blanch the peas, drain and refresh in iced water. Drain and transfer half of the peas to a blender with a ladleful of stock, the parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and blitz to a smooth puree. Set aside the puree and the reserved peas.
Step 2
Heat the remaining stock in a saucepan and keep warm.
Step 3
In a large pan, warm the butter and olive oil over a low-medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook gently until soft but not coloured. Increase the heat to medium and add the rice. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly, to toast the grains.
Step 4
Pour in the wine and let it be absorbed into the rice. Once the liquid has almost disappeared, begin to add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Wait for the rice to absorb almost all of the liquid before adding another ladleful. Begin checking the rice to see if it’s done at the 15-minute mark.
Step 5
Once the rice is almost al dente and not absorbing liquid as easily, stop adding stock (if any is left) and, instead, add the reserved peas and pea puree and cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until the rice is al dente.
Step 6
Take off the heat and add the pecorino. Stir with some vigour, working it into the risotto until it’s all combined and the mixture is glossy; it should be quite loose, and not stodgy. Season to taste.
Step 7
Ladle onto plates and top with lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil and a little extra grated pecorino.
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Julia Busuttil Nishimura is a Melbourne-based cookbook author, Good Weekend columnist and host of Good Food Kitchen.From our partners
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