Vermicelli with Basil and Pine Nuts Pesto (Pesto alla Genovese)

After a week in Newport Beach overlooking the ocean, watching my boys mastering basketball and swimming, having all kind of goodies and of course the best gelatos ever, yesterday we decided to come home instead of going to Escondido.

Kumquat Rumpirinha

Last Friday I was packing for Newport Beach, and my dear Elimay commented on my post on kumquat marmalade. Besides sending me another recipe for a kumquat with gin marmalade, she told me that in Germany, where she lives, they make kumquat caipirinhas.

Jewels in my Kitchen Garden

We had a wonderful weekend. First, we went to Yucaipa to cheer for Andrés Ignacio (9), who had his first swim meet. It was fun and the next one will be on July in Redlands. This one will be Tomás Eugenio (7) first swim meet and now I love to say swimming is becoming a family affair.

Kumquat Marmalade: Southern California Sunshine in a Jar

Last Saturday we were walking through our neighborhood and we came across an amazing kumquat tree. Not only because of its size. The tree was at least 16 feet tall! I was amazed because it was full of precious orange kumquats.

Eggless Chocolate and Olive Oil Cake

I love this cake. I must confess all my boys prefer my Death by Chocolate cake. But this velvety, smooth cake has a special place in my kitchen.

Risotto Verde

Today I made this risotto for the first time. I was “rehearsing” for a dinner next week. But the rehearsal was so good, that I shot the pictures and decided to share the recipe with you.

The secret, if there is any, is to separately boil the tips for one minute and save them in iced water until everything is done. Then, carefully incorporate these tender, not overcooked asparagus tips with the rice.

The other secret is to cook the stems, taking the wooden part away, to make a broth with onion, garlic and a bouquet garni. Then, take away the herbs and puree the onion and asparagus stems with the liquid and use it in place of the stock or broth. By doing this, all the flavor and color goes into the risotto.

To give the risotto a richer consistency, I added some heavy cream and before serving, some parmigiano reggiano.

Light, still flavorful, this is the perfect dish for these spring days and for the summer to come! I hope you enjoy this recipe as I enjoyed making it.

Risotto Verde | Ingredients for 4-6 portions

2 pounds of fresh asparagus, the heads cut and apart from the rest of the spear
1 small onion cut in half
1 bouquet garni made of fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage
1 quart of water
3 Tbs. of butter
1 medium white or yellow onion coarsely chopped
1 cup of rice (Italians use Arborio, but I used plain white rice)
1-2 cups of white wine
¼ cup of heavy cream
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese (I used Parmigiano Reggiano)

In a pot, put the water to boil and cook the asparagus tips for one minute. Take the tips out of the water and put them in cold water with ice. Set aside. In the same boiling water, cook on medium heat the rest of the spears, with the halved onion and the bouquet garni, until tender, 7-10 minutes. Discard the herbs and puree the asparagus onion and liquid with an immersion blender or in the vase of a blender. In a large saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the chopped onion until they are soft and transparent, 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the wine and the liquid asparagus mix, alternating one cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the liquids are absorbed. This process can take around 30 minutesm, being careful the rice doesn't overcook or gets dry. Add the cream and salt a pepper to taste. Add the asparagus tips and stir gently. Serve immediately with some parmigiano.

To print the recipe click here.