To market, to market... for risotto ingredients

On the first Saturday of every month my husband and I give up our weekend sleep-in to head to the Good Living Growers Market at Pyrmont. Last weekend was no exception. We met my sister at 7:15am and then headed off to find some caffeine and then to the Eumundi Smokehouse stand to load up on bacon and egg rolls.
After brekky we wandered around the stalls. We have our favourites that we always visit and spend most of our money at - Formaggi Ocello for the best cheese, Grimas Farm for our vegies, La Tartine for fruit bread and Consummate bakery for 2nd breakfast!
The week after visiting the market is usually the best eating week in our household. We buy whatever vegies look the best and work out our dinners around them. Often we also consult Stephanie on how to best show off each ingredient. This month, as soon as I saw the stall selling new season garlic, I already had the nights dinner worked out.

This recipe was in the September issue of Delicious magazine. We had made it previously, but with regular garlic as I hadn't been able to find any fresh. The risotto was fantastic the first time we had it, but I figured it would be even better with the addition of the new season garlic that it specified. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical when I realised that the recipe called for 3 whole bulbs of garlic for 4-6 servings! That is a lot of garlic! I only made half the recipe and decided to just use one of the garlic bulbs. The garlic flavour was very mild and rather sweet which I loved, and it mixed extremely well with the fresh broad beans, peas and asparagus. All in all, it was a great spring dish.

Risotto Primavera
Serves 4-6

120g unsalted butter
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 cups (400g) arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
3 new season garlic bulbs, segmented (yep the whole bulbs - but if you can't get any, substitute
with 5 cloves of regular garlic, finely chopped).
1/2 cup fresh peas (or frozen)
1 cup podded fresh broad beans or thawed frozen broad beans (tough outer skins peeled)
2L chicken stock, kept at a simmer
1/2 bunch asparagus, thinly sliced on an angle (keep tips intact)
1 cup (80g) grated parmesan
finely shredded mint to serve

Melt 80g butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onion and celery for 10 mins or until softened (if you are using regular garlic, add it for the last minute of cooking). Add the rice and stir for a further 1 minute to coat the grains. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until absorbed.

Add new season garlic and fresh beans and peas (if you are using frozen - add them for the final 3-4 mins cooking time). Add a ladelful of hot stock, stirring until almost all liquid is absorbed. Continue to add a ladelful of stock at a time and ensure that you stir until the liquid is almost absorbed before adding the next. Continue until rice is al dente and the vegies are just tender - approx 25 minutes.

Add one last ladelful of stock and remove the pan from the heat. Stir through the asparagus, parmesan and remaining butter. Cover and stand for 10 mins. This will allow the risotto to develop a creamy texture. Serve the risotto topped with shredded mint (and a dollop of marscapone if you like too).

See those huge pieces of garlic? I ate them all! Dracula's not getting me any time soon!

Recipe from Delicious Magazine, September issue (pg50-51). Recipe by Ben O'Donohue.