Prosciutto and Pea Risotto
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 shallots, chopped
  • 1-1/2 cups arborio rice
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • 4 ounces prosciutto, at room temperature and torn into small strips (see Notes)
  • 1-1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed (see Notes)
  • Zest from one lemon (divided)
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
  • Garnish with fresh basil and lemon zest
Instructions
  1. In a stockpot or large saucepan, bring broth to a gentle simmer over low heat.
  2. Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan (at least 4 quarts) over medium-low heat. Sauté shallots until soft, about 7 minutes. Add rice and sauté until it’s glistening and well coated with shallots, about 3 minutes.
  3. Raise heat to medium and add wine. Stir until it almost evaporates, about 2 minutes. Using a ladle, add about 1 cup hot chicken broth. Stir constantly until broth has been adsorbed. Add another ladleful of broth and keep stirring until it’s been adsorbed.
  4. Continue the process, adding broth a ladleful at a time and stirring in this way until the rice kernels are plump and no longer chalk white in the center. This should take 25-30 minutes altogether. The rice is almost done when the kernels are still separate but starting to bind, and there are pools of broth on the surface. It’s done when the liquid has been adsorbed, and the kernels are bound in what looks like very ricey, yet somewhat creamy, rice pudding (and rice doesn’t stick to your teeth when you taste it). You don’t have to use all of the broth.
  5. When the risotto is nearly done, add prosciutto and peas. Stir well until all of the liquid has been adsorbed. Remove from heat. Stir in grated cheese and almost all of the lemon zest. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and remaining lemon zest.
  6. Serve immediately with additional cheese.
Notes
* You don’t want to cool down the risotto by adding cold ingredients like chilled prosciutto or frozen peas. Take the prosciutto out of the refrigerator prior to preparing the risotto. If your peas aren’t thawed, microwave them for a few minutes and drain off any excess liquid.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/prosciutto-and-pea-risotto/