Artichoke Risotto with Pesto

Those of you who tasted risotto know how simple is to make one and any flavour can be put on it. So, I showed my good friend Tony how to make one. In the past, I wrote two risotto recipes : Blue Cheese Risotto with Prosciutto and Cremini Mushroom Risotto. This time, I wanted to try artichokes since it is an ingredient I never used before and it seems it goes well with pesto. Unfortunately, fresh basil is unavailable this season so I went for store-bought pesto.

Serves 6
Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooking Time : 30 mins
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

6-7 cups vegetable stock
1 canned artichokes, quartered
1 large onion, cubed
3 garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup white wine (to taste)
170g pesto
lemon juice to taste (optional)
parmesan (optional)

Procedure

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

2. In a large skillet, heat oil and melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook onions until transparent, about 5 mins. Add artichokes and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 mins. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 min.

3. Add rice to skillet. Leave for 3-4 mins until almost translucent.

4. Add white wine and a ladle of broth. Let the rice adsorbed most of the liquid before adding more liquid, stir constantly.

5. Continue in this manner until it gives a creamy consistency but still retains a bite. If stock runs out, add water. For a richer taste, add butter when it becomes creamy.

6. Remove from heat. Stir in pesto and lemon juice. Add parmesan before serving.