Watercress and Tomato Risotto
Spring watercress is wonderful green. It has a spinach like leaf with a very peppery stem. It turns very mellow in this risotto recipe. This is a quick recipe that uses pantry items like stock, onion and arborio rice along with fresh items from the market. The flavors are rich and mellow with the bright tang of tomato.
Recipe: Risotto with Watercress and Tomato
Summary: A quick dinner or side dish made with arborio rice, minced watercress and slivers of cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 7 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock (NOTE: You might not use all the stock)
- 2 Tbls Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Arborio Rice
- 1 Medium Onion cut into a fine dice (1/8″)
- 1 1/2 Cups of minced watercress (see below)
- 1 C slivered cherry tomatoes from about 12 cherry or grape tomatoes (see below)
- 2 oz grated Parmesan Cheese (about 1/2 C ground or 1 C grated on a microplane grater)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- A few leaves or tops of watercress for garnish along with a couple of tomatoes.
Instructions
Mise En Place
- Mince the watercress: Wash the watercress and roll it up like you are cutting a chiffonade by rolling it along the stems. Make very thin slices through the roll working down the stems. Use the leaves and the stems both. Then mince through the sliced watercress to create a fine mince.
- Sliver the tomatoes: Slice each tomato in half and then quarters along its length. Use the tip of your knife to remove the seeds and the core. Make 3 or 4 long thin slices out of each quarter of the tomato.
- Grate the parmesan: I cut up small cubes of parmesan than I grind in a small food processor. You can also grate the cheese on a microplane grater.
- Dice the Onion
Make the Risotto
- Bring the stock or broth to a boil and keep at a low simmer next to the burner where you will make the risotto.
- Warm the olive oil and the onion in a 2 quart sauce pan or saucier pan. Cook the onion over medium-high heat stirring until it is translucent – about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not brown the onion.
- Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. If the pan seems dry, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil. Stir the rice and cook until the rice becomes somewhat translucent and white dots appear in the center – about 8 to 10 minutes. Once again, do not brown the rice.
- Begin adding stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. As soon as the ladle of stock is cooked in – this is where practice comes in – add another ladle of stock. (see the Notes below).
- After about 10 minutes start testing the rice. It will be soft on the outside but chalky on the inside. This is not done. Keep stirring and adding a ladle of stock each time it is absorbed into the sauce.
- At about 15 minutes, you will be getting close to done. Test the rice again. You are looking for a slight chewiness at the center of the rice but the rice should be fully cooked. You are also looking for there to be a rich sauce around the rice. Check frequently until you hit just done. You might not use all the stock or you might need a little more.
- Remove from the heat and add the watercress, tomatoes and cheese. Taste and add salt and a healthy grind of black pepper. Then cover and let rest for a couple of minutes (up to 5 minutes).
- Serve in warmed bowls.
Quick Notes
The rice will absorb stock very quickly at first then more slowly as it cooks. Stirring helps create the starchy sauce that the risotto is served in along with preventing sticking. The stock won’t cook away completely between ladlefuls but it will be absorbed into the sauce. Try it a couple of times and you’ll get the hang of it.
Variations
You can substitute another green like dandelion or arugula for the watercress.
Cooking time (duration): 40
Number of servings (yield): 4
My Market Year(s) 