Last year’s Ile-des-Soeurs farmers market demo: Leek vinaigrette, market sausage, warm curried cauliflower salad
This Sunday I’ll be back at the Nun’s Island Farmers Market cooking up a storm from 11am to noon. The market is really sweet, a beautiful bike ride from downtown, and a great way to spend a sunny Sunday morning.
If you’re somehow not sold already here’s another incentive to come: my white wine risotto balls with gremolata and balsamic.
This recipe makes TONS of balls. So half it if you’re just serving these as an appetizer. You can also eat the risotto as risotto instead of balls ad save yourself a ton of work, but it’s less cute.
White Wine Risotto with Gremolata
1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (or red, or the white parts of a bunch of green onions)
2 cups arborio or other long-grain white rice
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 – 3 cups water (you’ll need three if you decide to use long-grain brown rice…it’s so very not traditional, but it still works. It does, however, tak more patience since the cooking time is much longer and you’re just standing there stirring, seemingly forever)
Up to 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups chopped, packed parsley leaves (or sorrel), divided
Zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
Heat stock in a small saucepan. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat onion in oil. You want to soften it, not brown it. Add rice, return to medium heat, and stir and cook 1 more minute, or until slightly browned and toasted.
Add the white wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely absorbed (a couple minutes). Add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the pan. Add 1/4 salt before one of your last additions. Taste rice. It’s done when it’s soft but not mushy. Add more salt if necessary. Your rice will cook for about 20-25 minutes as long as it’s long-grain white. Brown will take up to 20 minutes more. Remove risotto from heat and let cool.
While the risotto is cooking place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and reduce by half over medium-high heat.
When risotto has cooled at least 5 minutes, add 2 cups of chopped parsley leaves. Stir to combine. In a small bowl chop remaining parsley even finer (mince) and combine with the zest of 1 lemon and a pinch of salt. When risotto is cool enough to handle, roll into 30 balls and sprinkle with lemon-parsley mixture. Serve with reduced balsamic as a dipping sauce.
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