Green Risotto with Cavolo Nero & Sage

Here's to hot summer nights with late night cook ups with your loved ones. 

Romance is alive and well in our home. Listening to the music styling of 1930s Romani jazz artist Django Reinhardt. Whilst creating our favourite Italian fare in the kitchen.

This dish was absolutely delicious. Satisfying but also very nourishing with a deep base of our Classic Chicken Broth and finished with some crunchy cavolo nero and sage leaves fried in butter. Definitely worth adding to your repertoire.

Ingredients 

Makes four serves

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large brown onion finely chopped

1 cup arborio rice, pre-washed

100mls white wine or swap for extra broth

1 litre mfm classic chicken broth

5 tablespoons pesto (I used Botanica Cuisine - their products are a real favourite! - but you can also make your own)

1 bunch asparagus chopped into small rounds 

1 bunch cavolo nero 

1 small handful sage leaves

100 grams butter

 

Method

Gently heat the broth or stock in a small saucepan. 

Saute onion in olive oil in large heavy caste iron pan or heavy saucepan. Once the onions are translucent add the rice and coat it in the mixture. Then add the 100 mls white wine/broth (which ever you are using) and once absorbed add your first two ladles of the pre-heated broth, stirring the rice occasionally. 

Once the liquid has absorbed add another two ladles and the chopped asparagus and pesto. Allowing it to gently mix into the rice without over stirring or your risotto will end up stodgy. Add the final two ladles of broth so you have added in the whole 1 litre which should take about 25 minutes. 

When the risotto is cooked, set aside with a lid on to keep it warm and fry your cavolo nero and sage. First heat the butter then fry both leaves until they are crispy. This will take around 10 minutes. Serve the risotto in a wide dish and top with the crispy sage and cavolo nero.