Vegetable Risotto

Hearty and creamy. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you like. For mine I used fennel, asparagus, peas, red pepper and mushrooms.

Recipe

2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. Arborio rice
32 oz. vegetable stock
2/3 c. chopped fennel bulb
5 asparagus spears, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 c. frozen peas
1 red pepper, peeled (peel with a vegetable peeler), seeded and chopped
5 large mushrooms cut into 1/4" thick strips
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
2 T. butter

Heat the oil in a large skillet, then add the onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add the rice, stir well, then stir in 2-1/2 c. of the stock. Cook for 12 minutes, covered, over medium heat – stir 2 or 3 times otherwise the rice will stick to the bottom of the pan. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the stock has been absorbed.

Add the fennel, along with another cup of the stock and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Add the remainder of the vegetables, the remaining stock and the salt and cook, uncovered for another 5-10 minutes, stirring until the mixture is creamy and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese and butter and serve immediately. Top with more grated parmesan.

– adapted from Jacques Pépin, "Essential Pepin"