Chorizo and Broad Bean Risotto

, from Issue #49. October, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Chorizo and Broad Bean Risotto

Use a soft cured Spanish chorizo rather than a hard, drier style chorizo for this recipes – and if broad beans aren’t popular in your house use frozen peas or cooked green beans, thinly sliced.

Serves: 4–6

INGREDIENTS

2 cups frozen broad beans
6 cups chicken stock, hot
2 tablespoons olive oil
200 grams chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1¼ cups risotto rice, e.g. Arborio or Vialone Nano
½ cup white wine
small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 3-4 minutes then drain and refresh in cold water. Peel and discard the skins. Set aside.

Put the stock in a saucepan, heat and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a low heat and add the chorizo. Cook for 2 minutes until the chorizo has released its smoky, paprika-flavoured oil and is lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan with a good pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the rice, stirring well to coat each grain in the oil. Cook for another minute until the rice is warm (toasted).

Add the wine and stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Begin adding the warm stock, a ladle at a time, stirring and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next quantity. When the risotto is tender to the bite and has a creamy consistency (this should take about 20 minutes), add the chorizo and any juices, the broad beans and the parsley and gently combine. Season if needed and serve immediately. 

Cook’s tip: If the chorizo doesn’t release much paprika-flavoured oil, add ½ a teaspoon of smoked paprika when cooking the onion.