Brussels Sprout Risotto

We made this recipe for Brussels Sprout Risotto from Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi. We like almost of the recipes in his 3 cookbooks. This one is excellent! Give it a try. Who ever heard of Brussels Sprout Risotto?

Brussels Sprout Risotto

Plenty More

Yotam Ottolenghi

2          tbsp unsalted butter

2         tbsp olive oil

2         small onions, finely chopped (1-1/2 cups)

2         large cloves garlic, crushed

2         tbsp thyme leaves

2         lemons, rind shaved in long strips from one, finely grated zest from the other

1-1/2   cups Arborio or another risotto rice

18 oz   trimmed brussels sprouts, 7 oz shredded and 11 oz quartered lengthwise

scant 2 cups dry white wine
scant 4 cups hot vegetable stock

about 1-⅔ cups sunflower oil

1-1/2   cups coarsely grated Parmesan

2 oz     Dolcelatte, broken into 3/4-inchn chunks

½         cup tarragon leaves, chopped

2          tsp lemon juice

salt and black pepper

If you wonder about a risotto full of brussels sprouts, please trust me and set your doubts aside. My recipe tester Claudine said she had similar misgivings but totally loved it. The fried sprout quarters add a layer of texture and crunch that risottos often lack. They are so good that you'll quickly be figuring out other dishes they can be sprinkled over.

Place the butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over

medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly caramelized. Add the garlic, thyme, and lemon rind strips and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the rice and shredded sprouts and cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Pour in the wine and let it simmer for a minute before you start adding the stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and a good grin of pepper. Turn down the heat to medium and carry on adding the stock in ladlefuls, stirring often, until the rice is cooked but still retains a bite and all the stock is used up.

While the rice is cooking, pour the sunflower oil into a separate large saucepan; it should rise 3/4-inch up the sides. Place over high heat and, once the oil is very hot, use a slotted spoon to add a handful of the quartered sprouts. (Take care that they are completely dry before you add them; they will still splatter, so be careful.) Fry the sprouts for less than 1 minute, until golden and crispy, then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep them somewhere warm while you fry the remaining sprouts.

Add the Parmesan, Dolcelatte, tarragon, and half the fried sprouts to the cooked risotto and stir gently. Serve at once with the remaining sprouts spooned on top, followed by the grated lemon zest and the lemon juice.