Red Wine Risotto with Peas

It is very rare that I get a weekend completely to myself without having any chores or work things to worry about. This past weekend was one of those rare amazing times when I had two whole days to do whatever I wanted. I kicked off the weekend by cleaning out my very old recipe binder, followed by a beach picnic with a few of my favorite blogging pals, and rounded it out with a little Sunday afternoon fun with some of my best boys. The sun was shining, the weather was perfect and I could not have asked for a better time. While I was cleaning out my recipe folder, I found this particular risotto recipe that I had printed out nearly three years ago. At the time I remembered thinking how unusual it was to put red wine in risotto when you normally use white. The wine not only gives the risotto that beautiful color, but adds a nice deep flavor without additional ingredients that would make it feel heavy. Perhaps a little unconventional, I paired this risotto with shrimp because I love shrimp and risotto together. The green peas add a nice pop of color and their lovely sweetness which rounds out this dish. Now that I have been through my old recipe binder again, I have pulled out a bunch of recipes and can't wait to share some of them soon!



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Red Wine Risotto with Peas
(Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)



Makes 2 servings

2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
1-2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the stock to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, and keep the stock warm over very low heat.

In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent,but not browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes until the rice is toasted. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1-2 minutes. Add one ladle full of the hot chicken stock to the rice; simmer until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Repeat, one ladle full at a time until the rice is tender and creamy.

Stir in the peas, Parmesan and parsley. Season to taste. Spoon the risotto into bowls and serve.

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