Equipment
Ingredients
Broth
- 1500 ml vegetable broth, hot
Soffritto & Rice
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely minced
- 2 garlic clove, minced
- 320 g arborio rice
- 120 ml dry white wine
Vegetables
- 3 celery stalks, diced 1cm cubes
- 150 g lacinato kale, stemmed and shredded
Mantecatura (Finish)
- 30 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 40 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 lemon zest
- celery leaves, fresh
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Pour the vegetable broth into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Keep it warm over low heat throughout the cooking process.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and the finely minced celery (the aromatic portion). Sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent, but not browned.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the rice and toast it, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until the edges are translucent and the center remains opaque (the pearl).
Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Stir vigorously until the wine has completely evaporated and the alcohol smell has dissipated.
Begin adding the hot broth one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until the liquid is almost absorbed before adding the next ladle. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle bubble.
After about 10 minutes of cooking the rice, stir in the larger diced celery and the shredded kale. Continue adding broth and stirring for another 8-10 minutes.
Taste the rice. It should be tender but still have a slight bite (al dente). The texture should be fluid and creamy (all'onda), not stiff. If dry, add a final splash of broth. Remove from heat.
Vigorously stir in the cold cubed butter, grated parmesan, and lemon zest. Cover the pot and let it rest for 2 minutes to allow the emulsion to set.
Season with salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Garnish with the reserved yellow celery leaves and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using celery in two stages is key: the minced celery provides a savory background depth similar to onion, while the diced celery added later provides a clean, vegetal crunch to cut through the rich starch.
- If using dandelion greens instead of kale, blanch them quickly in boiling water before adding to the risotto to reduce their bitterness.
- The 'mantecatura' (mounting with butter/cheese) must happen off the heat. If the pot is too hot, the butter will separate and make the dish greasy rather than creamy.
- For a true 'low cholesterol' version, you can reduce the butter and cheese by half and finish with a drizzle of high-quality raw extra virgin olive oil instead.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Texture will thicken significantly; reheat with a splash of water or broth.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing is possible but not recommended as rice texture may become grainy.
Reheating: Gently warm on the stove with a splash of vegetable broth or water to restore creaminess.
