Allium Risotto

When I was deciding on a main dish for a recent private dinner, I opted for a flavorful risotto with a variety of edible alliums.

Edible alliums include onions, shallots, garlic, and leeks and herbs such as, chives and wild garlic.

Ingredients

• 1 white onion,,peeled and sliced (approximately 1-1/2 cups)

• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced (approximately 1-1.2 cups)

• 2 Tablespoons butter

• splash of olive oil (I used Roasted Garlic Olive Oil from The Quail & Olive)

• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

• 3 cups arborio rice

• 8 cups liquid (I used a mixture of vegetable stock, chicken stock, and white wine)

• 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used a mixture of parsley and thyme)

• 4 ounces mascarpone cream

• freshly ground pepper, to taste

• freshly ground salt, to taste

• Also needed: chopped pistachios, chopped macadamia, parmigiano reggiano, and Smoked Olive Oil from The Quail & Olive, for serving

Procedure

Bring liquid to a boil in a sauce pan, then reduce to a simmer and keep it on a burner adjacent to your risotto pan.

Melt butter in olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Stir in the onions and cook until onions are translucent and beginning to caramelize. Stir in the arborio rice and toast for 5 to 6 minutes. Add in the garlic, then ladle by ladle, add in the stock until it's absorbed. Keep stirring. Repeat until the rice is cooked. If you need more liquid, just add more; if you don't use all of the stock, that's okay, too.

Stir in the mascarpone cream and let stand for five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon risotto into individual serving bowls or a platter. Top with chopped nuts and parmigiano cheese. Drizzle with Smoked Olive Oil and serve immediately.