Florentine Risotto

We traveled from San Antonio to Port Aransas on Sunday and will be here for a week.  We have vacationed here with the entire family for the past two summers and we thought it might be fun to visit the shore in off season.  The weather has been in the high 70's to low 80's since we got here and the beach has had very few people on it.  It has been quite refreshing without all the summer crowds. 

I have enjoyed long walks on the beach since the weather has been perfect. 

This risotto is not made in the typical fashion of constantly stirring and gradually adding all of the broth in increments.  This is made more like a typical rice where you bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, until the rice is tender.  You then add the spinach, cannellini beans and Parmesan cheese at the end.

Florentine Risotto
Makes 4 Servings

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium high heat.  Cook onion and garlic in butter about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is just crisp-tender.

Add rice, stir to coat with butter mixture.  Stir in broth and saffron.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Heat to boiling; stir once thoroughly and reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is almost tender and liquid is absorbed.

Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and let stand 5 minutes.  Serve with more grated Parmesan, if desired.

From Betty Crocker's New Cookbook

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