Today I’m telling you about a bell pepper risotto, or rather two risottos. 😊
The first risotto, the one without saffron, dates back several months, more or less to last spring. Photographed, as usual, and added to the archive of recipes to write “as soon as I have a moment.”
At the end of June, Donatella – a dear regular of my FB group (if you want to join, you’ll find the link at the end of the recipe) shared with us her bell pepper risotto, beautifully yellow, that is with saffron. And I immediately rushed to cook it. Before eating it, I photographed it, as usual, and also archived it, intending to write the recipe “by the summer.”
In August, I made up my mind. I downloaded the photos, chose them, edited them (logo, writings, and so on) and I began to write.
I rummaged on the desk, in the kitchen, flipped through a few books looking for the fateful little notes, the ones I usually scribble on with greasy and floured hands, but found nothing. No bell pepper risotto recipe, nothing among the scattered notes, not even in the agenda, barely used but you never know.
I tried to write anyway, racking my brains but couldn’t remember the ingredient weights, didn’t know where to start, couldn’t produce decent sentences, not even for the introduction as I was so discouraged. I gave up and put everything on standby waiting for at least one of the two recipes to pop out from some corner.
But nothing, it’s been over a month now, and nothing.
Who knows, maybe I just believed I wrote the two recipes! Ahhhhhh my memory really does falter, seriously??? 😅
In short, another one of my messes from being a poorly organized food blogger, just as you all know I am! 😇
But… if you’re still here reading despite all my weaknesses, come on, maybe there’s still some hope for this clumsy blog!
And so now… here are the recipes for my bell pepper risotto with and without saffron, recounted going a bit by memory and a lot by feeling.
Enjoy! 😋
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
I will update the weights of the ingredients when (or if?) I redo the recipes. 😃
- Carnaroli rice
- bell pepper (red and yellow)
- onion
- vegetable broth
- white wine (I use prosecco)
- butter
- parsley
- milk kefir (or plain yogurt)
- Carnaroli rice
- bell pepper (red and yellow)
- onion
- vegetable broth
- saffron
- dry white wine
- grated cheese (Parmesan or Grana)
- extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Casserole
- Pot
Preparation
Prepare the vegetable broth.
It can also be made with vegetable granules. For those interested, here are the links to my two dried granule recipes, with and without salt:
– vegetable granules without salt
Cut the bell pepper into pieces, chop the onion.
Melt a pat of butter in the casserole where the risotto will be cooked, add onion and bell pepper and cook for a few minutes.
Add the rice, let it soak up, then when it’s dry, deglaze with half a cup of white wine (I used prosecco here).
Cook the risotto in the classic way, adding a ladle of vegetable broth at a time and letting it dry before adding the next.
When it’s almost done, season with chopped parsley.
At the end of cooking, cream with a pat of butter and two to three tablespoons of milk kefir (or plain yogurt).
If you like, garnish the dishes with chopped parsley.
Prepare the vegetable broth.
Dissolve a packet of saffron in the vegetable broth.
Here it is, my yellow vegetable broth:
Dice or julienne the bell pepper, chop the onion, place them in a casserole and let them soak up with a drizzle of oil.
Add the rice, when dry deglaze with half a cup of white wine.
Cook the risotto in the classic way, adding a ladle of saffron broth at a time and letting it dry before adding the next.
At the end of cooking, cream with grated cheese and a small pat of butter. I also recommend a generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
If you’re curious to see the recipe for >Donatella’s rainbow risotto< that inspired me for this yellow risotto of mine, click the link. The post is accessible to group members… so go on, join! 😃
Salt-Free Tips
If you’re not used to low-sodium cooking, between the two risottos, I recommend trying the saffron risotto first: spices are always the most valid flavor enhancers to turn to.
Regarding the homemade vegetable granules that I linked in the procedure, my advice is this: start with the granules with salt and every time you prepare it reduce the salt used compared to the previous time. You’ll find yourself producing the granules without salt almost without realizing it, because in the meantime your palate will have become accustomed to the less salty taste. 😉
Regarding the homemade vegetable granules that I linked in the procedure, my advice is this: start with the granules with salt and every time you prepare it reduce the salt used compared to the previous time. You’ll find yourself producing the granules without salt almost without realizing it, because in the meantime your palate will have become accustomed to the less salty taste. 😉
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
■ Reduce salt gradually, the palate needs to accustom slowly and should not notice the gradual reduction.
■ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
■ Use herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
■ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
■ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
■ Use my salt-free vegetable granules
■ Prefer fresh foods.
■ Avoid cooking in water, prefer methods that don’t disperse flavors (grill, en papillote, steam, microwave)
■ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
■ Occasionally allow yourself a break from the rule. It’s good for the mood and helps you persevere.
If you don’t want, or can’t, give up salt:
■ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
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