Zucchini Risotto Recipe

Risotto is a labor of love. It takes a little patience, but I find it well worth the time and effort. This recipe is a beautiful accompaniment to any meal.

Zucchini Risotto

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Serves	8
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	25 minutes
By author	Dish Ditty

Risotto is a labor of love. It takes a little patience, but I find it well worth the time and effort. This recipe is a beautiful accompaniment to any meal.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1/4 cup Shallots (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons Garlic (finely chopped)
1 cup Zucchini (diced)
1/4 cup Dry Vermouth
4-6 cups Chicken Broth
2 cups Arborio Rice (aka Risotto rice)
2 tablespoons Asiago Cheese (shredded, can substitute Parmesan or Romano)

Optional

1 Green Onion (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon Butter

Directions

Step 1
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium size saucepan. Reduce the heat and keep it at a low simmer for use in later steps.
Step 2
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet.
Step 3
Add shallots and zucchini. Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or cook until the shallots are mostly translucent.
Step 4
Add the wine to the shallots and zucchini mixture and cook down until the liquid is mostly gone.
Step 5
Add the rice to the mixture and cook while stirring continuously. You want to let the rice get toasted, meaning lightly browned. It will take a couple of minutes. About half of the rice should be lightly browned.
Step 6
Now comes the fun part. Start by reducing the heat on your pan to a medium simmer. At this point, you will be continuously stirring while cooking the rice for 20 minutes. Start by adding two ladles of the hot chicken broth to the rice mixture. Continuously stir until the liquid is mostly gone.
Step 7
Add one ladle at a time, keeping the heat at a low simmer and continuously stirring, giving a minute or so between each addition of liquid to allow the liquid to be absorbed. You will notice that the rice will start to release its starch. This is a good thing. Continue this process for 20 minutes (you can put a timer on the stove to track the time). You should use about 4-6 cups of chicken broth.
Step 8
Remove from the stove and stir in the cheese and extra butter (optional). Top with green onions if desired and serve.