As of 5:01 a.m. yesterday (March 20), it is officially spring. Writing this on Monday, four days earlier, there is no way for me to know what the weather truly is or will be. The forecast says rain with a high of 49, which isn’t particularly spring-like, but I have to concede it actually is.
We’re firmly in that fuzzy gray bardo between the end of (the seemingly and unbearably long) winter and the traditional season of rebirth or, as a friend put it, “that infinitesimal quiver when despair bumps up against the whisper of hope.”
The encouraging signs are — or have been — there: The snowdrops and crocuses emerged over the last couple of weeks from the composting mat of leaves and detritus left from the fall. In my garden, hellebores, woodland peonies, lungwort and ferns are reintroducing themselves, with more activity surely on the way, and given the discouragement with national affairs, we need nature’s optimism more than ever.
Likewise, the palate longs for some sweetness, light and sunshine after a season of stews, soups and heartier stick-to-the ribs staples, and while we’re not 100 percent ready to give up those culinary comforts with the seasons still working out their differences, there are solutions to that conundrum.
Sweet spring green peas are a harbinger of the season, and while it is too early for peas from the garden, let’s not forget the perennial charm of frozen peas, one of two freezer staples (the other being sweet corn) that may be better than fresh.
Picked at the peak, pre-shelled (another bonus), quickly blanched and flash-frozen, well-stored organic sweet peas (I’m partial to the Woodstock brand) require nothing beyond defrosting.
Yotam Ottolenghi recently sang their praises in his New York Times column with a Spiced Pea Stew with Yogurt. The Green Shakshuka from a past Small, Good Things is a brunch staple, and as a snack, Joshua McFadden’s English Pea Toast from his Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables is always satisfying.
This week’s recipe is a seasonal compromise, offering the warmth and cheesy creaminess of a risotto with the brightness of lemon added at the last minute, along with the peas, and amplified by a sprinkle of whatever fresh-chopped herbs you prefer — parsley, mint, basil, dill, tarragon or a combination — for a verdant kick.
That should hold you over until the seasons work their thing out.
Sweet Pea Risotto with Lemon & Herbs
Serves 4
- 1 quart vegetable broth (homemade or good quality organic)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1½ cup Carnaroli rice (or Vialone Nano or Arborio varieties)
- ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
- 1½ cups organic frozen peas, thawed; patted dry
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese + more for serving
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, basil, mint, dill or tarragon, or a combination
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the broth plus 2 cups water to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
2. In a large saucepan adjacent to the warm broth, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the edges are translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. If using wine, add and cook, stirring until the rice is just slightly moist. Then add 3 cups hot broth; raise heat to a boil over medium-high. Immediately reduce to medium and cook, stirring briskly, until almost all the broth is absorbed, about 10 to 12 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a strong simmer.
4. Adding about ½ cup broth at a time, stir until most of the liquid has gone. Repeat process until you’ve used most of the broth and the rice is cooked al dente at its center, about 8 to 10 minutes. (You may not need all the broth.) The risotto should be loose but not soupy — Venetians call this state all’onda, or “like a wave.”
5. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add peas, lemon zest and juice. Add the ½ cup Parmesan and stir to incorporate. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the herb(s) of your choice. Serve hot in individual bowls; pass additional freshly grated Parmesan to add at the table.
