Vegan risotto with artichokes

Artichoke risotto recipe

Preparation and cooking

• - Prepare artichokes.
  Begin snapping off the stalk close to the base, pulling out any fiber which would extend into the bottom.
  Cut off the pointed top and, using kitchen scissors, trim all leaves to remove spines and any brown edges.
  Cut every artichokes in quarters and plunge them in lemon water. Artichokes are ready to be cooked.
  Finally cut them into very thin slices but just before putting them in the pan.
• - Meanwhile prepare vegetable stock.
  I usually boil carrot, onion, celery and a lot of aromatic herbs in a plenty of salt water, 20 minutes.
  Then I strain my stock through a sieve and keep it boiling while cooking my risotto.
• - Cook risotto.
  Put olive oil in a large saucepan, add leek and artichokes.
  Sauté all ingredients on low heat, stirring now and then.
  Add rice and cook until milky, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  Pour in beer and simmer until absorbed, stirring now and then.
  At this point add aromatic herbs and 2 ladlefuls of vegetable stock and simmer until absorbed, stirring now and then.
  Continue adding boiling stock, ladle by ladle, until rice is tender.
  Vegetable stock must be well reduced.
  Season to taste with salt only if necessary.

Just before serving

• - Serve artichoke risotto after a couple of minutes.

Note

Tips

• - Use fresh aromatic herbs if you have enough time to clean, wash and chop them.
• - You can make this risotto recipe all year if you use frozen artichokes. Let them thaw completely before using.
• - It isn't possible to match wine to artichokes. So we use beer cooking this recipe.

Menu planning

• - Obviously, artichoke risotto made with few ingredients is a dish for your weekly menu in spring.

Useful link for this recipe

• - If you want to learn more about artichokes consult their page.

Healthy eating

• - This is a vegan recipe if you use our ingredients. Anyway it is a healthy food for the presence of artichokes. Read about their nutrition value in the page I've just suggested in the previous paragraph. Besides it's a low fat and calorie recipe according to the Mediterranean diet.
• - If you want you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.
• - It is a recipe without tomato and so it's perfect for people who have tomato intollerance or allergy.

What's the right wine ?

Pair the same beer you've used to cook risotto.