Summer Risottowith grilled zucchini and mint
This oven-baked (virtually no-stir) risotto featuring summery flavors makes this a great weeknight treat. Enjoy with grilled zucchini that's made extra special with a sprinkle of pine nuts and mint. Our paleo members will be topping their zucchini with a ground meat version of our risotto.
Smarts: You can make risotto in the oven, which means it takes a lot less maintenance!
Ingredients
- Mint - 1 sprig, sliced in chiffonade
- Zucchini - 2, halved and scored
- Cooking oil - as needed
- Red pepper flakes - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Pine nuts - 2 Tbsp
- Leeks - 1 1/2 lbs, sliced
- Diced tomatoes (14 oz / 397 g can) - 1 can, drained and rough chopped
- Corn - 2 cobs, kernels of ((~1 cup))
- Cooking oil - 1 Tbsp
- Arborio rice - 1 cup
- White wine - 2/3 cup
- Chicken stock - 3 1/2 cups
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Cherry tomatoes - 1 cup, halved
- Creme fraiche (opt) - 3 Tbsp
Nutrition Facts
Prep
Make
- Preheat oven to 425F (218C) degrees.
- Heat a saute pan (that you have a lid for) over medium-high heat. Add oil and then leeks to heated oil with a dash of salt. Saute until softened, ~3 minutes. Next add arborio rice stir until rice gets a golden hint. Add in white wine and stir until absorbed.
- Stir in tomatoes and chicken stock and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- While risotto is baking, heat up a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini to grill pan and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until zucchini is tender but still a bit crunchy. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, salt, pine nuts, and mint. (You can also do the same thing on a grill over direct heat - heated to medium-high.)
- Halve cherry tomatoes.
- When risotto is done, stir in corn and creme fraiche (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with cherry tomatoes. Enjoy with grilled zucchini.
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Reviews
This meal has 20 reviews
The best part of this was how easy it was to make a rich risotto with very little effort! Subbed Greek yogurt for creme fraiche. The zucchini too was good too, grilled with oil, salt and pepper, and I'm always a fan of red pepper flakes. But the mint and pine nuts seemed almost like an afterthought. Next time I'd throw the zucchini and nuts in with the risotto, and leave out the mint, corn and cherry tomatoes.
We roasted the zucchini and tomato and added some radishes we needed to use up. Threw them in for the last five minutes of the risotto. Added fresh parm on top as suggested by someone else. Really really good!
Rather than having the zucchini on the side I would just chop it up and add it to the risotto. Go easy on the pine nuts -- they can be overpowering. And I'd leave out the corn. Takes away from the rich risotto flavor. Top it with some Parmesan and its a hearty winter dish. I was surprised 1 cup of Arborio rice would amount to so much food! Be aware, this doesn't age well. If you eat it the next day expect it to be baby food mush. If there are only two of you, definitely follow directions for 2, not 4.
I threw the zucchini in with the rice before putting it in the oven. This was good, but got a little mushy as leftovers. Definitely best (for us) on the night it was made with fresh mint and toasted pine nuts on top.
I really liked the grilled zucchini
Definitely go like on the red pepper flakes if you can't take the heat.