The theme for Monday posts in February is Risotto.
I make risotto a lot ! There are over 75 recipes for risotto on this blog: Risotto.
I make it because it’s easy, quick, a great way to use leftovers / clean out the fridge, and healthy (relatively).
I’m on a mission to prove that all the ‘tv chefs’ that say it’s hard (it’s not), you have to stir constantly (you don’t), you have to add tons of butter at the end to make it creamy (you don’t), etc. are wrong.
Now I will have to admit the truth. I can and do make ‘proper’ risottos, but most of the ones I make have too much ‘condimenti’. I make it for a main course. An Italian risotto is normally served before the main course, as a first course. Regardless – we love them all.
This is one of those….
Click here to Pin Risotto with Beluga Lentils
PrintRisotto with Beluga Lentils
Beluga lentils are tiny, black lentils that hold there shape well. They also keep well so cook a batch and have them on hand in the fridge for up to a week. We had leftover duck confit but ham or chicken would be great.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Risotto
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (4.2oz, 125gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto – Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) dry white wine
- 2 1/4 cups (18oz, 540ml) chicken broth
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 tbs butter
- 3/4 cup (3oz, 90gr) Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
- Condimenti:
- 1/4 black, Beluga lentils or green Lentils du Puy
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken broth
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 medium rib celery, chopped
- 2 cups confit of duck, pulled and roughly cut if needed
- 2 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook lentils (see Condimenti)
- Heat chicken broth and keep hot over low heat.
- In medium saucepan heat butter.
- Add onion and sauté until tender.
- Add rice and sauté, stirring, for 2 – 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- Start condimenti.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of stock, stir.
- When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring.
- Before you add the last 1/3 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just ‘al dente’ – slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked.
- If more stock is needed add it 1 tbs at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed.
- Add the Parmesan and the condimenti stir well, spoon into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately.
- Condimenti:
- Cook lentils in broth until tender, 20 – 25 minutes
- Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in oil until until tender, 8 – 10 minutes.
- Add duck, turn heat to low and keep warm until needed
- When lentils are done, drain and add to skillet.
Notes
Substitute ham, sausage or chicken for the duck.
There is no need to stir constantly but do stir from time to time.
Add the condimenti when the risotto is thick but not stiff – there is still visible liquid and it will not hold it’s shape on a plate.
It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be quite stiff. The risottos that we have eaten in northern Italy have all been served in soup plates (flattish bowls) and eaten with a spoon – not a fork.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 recipe
- Calories: 932
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 2264.7 mg
- Fat: 30.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 78.7 g
- Fiber: 5.6 g
- Protein: 76.1 g
- Cholesterol: 227.7 mg
For another unusual dish: Risotto with Ham & Brussels Sprouts
That’s it !
Nothing close to confit of duck here. No on the beluga lentils either, I’d have to order those online. I know, we live in a ‘backward’ area. I’m just not willing to drive an hour to get a few things and take a chance that husband would turn his nose up after the first bite or two so I leave things like to to a restaurant menu though I would eat this!
It’s 51 degrees out at 6:45am…tomorrow, it’s supposed to be below freezing again. Happy February. My crocus are absolutely confused at this point.
I love the duck – and I love the fat is comes packed in. But it’s a horrid mess to get the fat off the duck so the duck can be eaten and the fat stored. The fat makes the best food for rat traps lol
The lentils are found at the Asian supermarket…. strange, but true