Come over, I’m making risotto.
A springtime ritual, impromptu dinner party idea, ideal kids' dinner, etc etc
The flowers are bursting, the sun is shining — well, except for this Memorial Day weekend which never seems to bestow upon us the desired weather.
Still, I say: It’s never too late to celebrate spring.
And actually, I can’t think of anything more compelling than stirring a lush pot of risotto on a rainy spring evening.
Rosé will be poured without complaint.
It’s true, this spring has seemed to escape me. I’ve been so deep in the creation of my new line that I haven’t yet had the chance to take part in many of my favorite welcome rituals for the season.
(Though I did make a first rendition of a rhubarb coffee cake that I plan on perfecting again this weekend, so look forward to that soon.)
((And we did manage to plant our first baby garden, my Mother’s Day wish fulfilled. I suppose we’re not doing so bad after all —))
(((I’ll just add this here, to manifest, we are going strawberry picking — which somehow never fails to escape us every June past.)))
So here it is, a beautiful and verdant green pot of risotto.
Briefly I considered whether I wanted to make this a romantic stirring-on-the-stove or a lazy-yet-lovely oven risotto. I opted for romance.
To me the joy of risotto is the stirring. I’ll save the oven variation for when I’m in weeknight mode, likely opting for a healthier grain like farro or barley.
This risotto begs to be stirred while you indulge in a just-before-5pm glass of wine, this makes the children attaching themselves to your ankles much more tolerable.
If you don’t have to make your risotto at 5pm because you don’t have children attaching themselves to your ankles, then here’s something better: An impromptu dinner party! A chic mini spring fête. Send the text to a few favorites. Let them bring the cheese and wine and you can gossip while you stir.
People think risotto isn’t meant to be a dinner party dish because of the stirring, but it depends on the dinner party. Keep it light, keep it cool.
If you want to make it into a meal (because let’s say you also have a husband who wouldn’t consider this a meal without a palm’s worth of protein) you can do what I did and get yourself a little container of jumbo lump crab meat, mix it with a squeeze of Kewpie, lemon and chives, and pile it onto baguette slices.
It’s giving spring!
Enjoy the bounty 💚
x Sarah
—
Sarah Spiegel designs apparel and textiles for the rituals of home. The new collection arrives Spring 2027. Join the waitlist.
Spring Green Risotto
All you need to do to achieve this lush green color is toss a bag or bunch of spinach (along with chives for flavor) into a food processor and stir it in at the end. You could blanch it first to make it even more green but honestly it’s perfect as is.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 bunch ramps* — bulbs thinly sliced, greens reserved
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts, or 2 shallots, finely chopped
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
7-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock*
5-8 ounces baby spinach (a bag, container, or bunch works fine)
Fresh chives
2 cups Arborio rice*
1 cup dry white wine (or rosé)
2 cups frozen peas, thawed (or fresh, blanched)
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to serve
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks or shallots and ramp bulbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm stock gently in a saucepan with a ladle at the ready. Pulse spinach and chives in the food processor until very finely chopped. Set aside.
Add rice to the pot, seasoning generously salt and a bit of black pepper, stirring the rice to coat, letting it toast lightly for 2 minutes.
Pour in wine and stir until fully absorbed.
Add the warm stock one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. Adjust heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Continue until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite, about 25–30 minutes. You may not need all the stock.
Stir in the spinach, peas, and ramp greens, if using.
Remove from the heat. Add in the remaining butter along with the cheese, along with the lemon juice and zest. Stir vigorously until the risotto is creamy and glossy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Top each bowl with a drizzle of finishing olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve extra Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.
NOTES
For the crab toast: Mix ½ lb good quality lump crab with just enough Kewpie mayo to bind it, a squeeze of lemon, flaky salt, and a little fresh chive or tarragon. Pile onto thin baguette slices toasted in olive oil until golden. Serve alongside or right on top of the risotto.
Ramps: Optional but the harbinger of spring (sadly, we’re a bit too late this year — but there’s always next!) Use the bulbs as your allium base and tear the greens in at the end with the peas.
Rice: I buy the Seggiano brand which comes in a 500g box, using the whole thing, which is a little over 2 cups. This probably means you’ll need closer to the 8 full cups of stock.
Stock: Unless I happen to have homemade stock on hand, I keep a huge jar of Better than Bouillon without fail.