Artichoke Kale Risotto

Here’s an obvious, yet much needed statement to get off my chest: we are living in dark and confusing times right now. Being forced to stay inside and socially distance is a supreme opportunity to self-reflect and take care of ourselves. It’s hard to frame it like that, but it is true. This time is also an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful art of cooking, or if cooking isn’t your jam, then whatever creative activity you enjoy the most. For me, it’s obviously cooking. The only drawback to my love for cooking right now is getting my hands on ingredients, which are now scarce in stores. So in order to adapt, my upcoming recipes will be simple and incorporate pantry staples, canned foods and frozen foods. Of course, what I have in my kitchen is different than what you have, so feel free to improvise with these recipes as much as you see fit. More importantly, continue to nourish yourselves and try to stay happy and positive! We got this.

There’s no time like the present to tackle some risotto. And with my method, you really don’t have to stand at the stove to stir the entire time. Sure, that’s welcome, but it’s not necessary. I know we all have different ingredients, so use whatever you have for this. You can also make this completely without cheese or milk. If you choose to do that, just make sure you salt the risotto enough so that it’s not too zesty (there’s a lot of artichoke and lemon influence here.) Another thing I want to note is that white wine and lemon juice are also optional. You can solely use chicken (or vegetable) broth or stock and add the liquid from the artichokes. You can also add more artichokes. For greens, I do recommend spinach or kale, frozen or fresh. Don’t have artichokes? Follow the steps with canned mushrooms. Risotto is versatile and you got this. You truly cannot f*ck this up, unless you over cook your risotto and it becomes mush, which can be avoided by simply tasting your grain and removing it from the heat right before it’s tender! The rice will continue to cook as it sits on the stove, even if you don’t intend for it to. Speaking of rice, arborio rice is the best, BUT you can make this with other rice or grains (such as farro.) The recipe will be different because every grain absorbs liquid differently and may take a longer or shorter time, but tasting the grain will help you figure out when it is ready. Ok, now it’s risotto time.