Risotto is such a versatile side dish that you can add anything you want to it once you've got the basics down. And it's not as unhealthy as you may think - the creaminess makes you think there's a lot of heavy cream in it, but there's not! This risotto is much easier to make than the classic way of constantly stirring it. All you need is a cast iron skillet or large pan.
Here's the recipe:
2 TBS olive oil, divided
1/2 a medium yellow onion, diced
1 whole head roasted garlic
1 cup kale leaves, washed and chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio (you can also use water or chicken broth)
1 1/4 cups arborio rice
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 TBS unsalted butter
1 TSP lemon zest
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat a large cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Sauce the kale in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes until it starts to cook down and wilt, then transfer to a bowl and set aside. If you're using fresh kale, massage it first to help it cook down easier - Add chopped kale to a large bowl and top with lemon juice and olive oil. Use clean hands to massage for about 3 minutes to soften the leaves and infuse the leaves with the oil and lemon. If you're using bagged kale, you can skip this step.
Drizzle the pan with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the roasted garlic, mashing it down into the onions, and season with salt and pepper.
Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the rice, and stir for about a minute until the grains become somewhat translucent.
Add the wine and cook until the alcohol is burned off - about 2 minutes. If you're not using wine, skip this step and add the water or chicken broth in the next step.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and add 3 cups of chicken broth to the rice. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring just once or twice while the rice cooks.
Add the remaining chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring in between each addition until the rice is cooked to your liking and the liquid has been absorbed.
Add the sauteed kale back into the risotto. When the rice is done, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the butter, parmesan and lemon zest to the rice and stir until the butter is completely melted and the risotto becomes creamy and finishes absorbing any extra stock.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Did you make this? Share pics in the comments!