Primrose Risotto

• Choose the freshest ones in the morning when the flowers are fully open. Gently detach the flower with your fingers or with scissors, being careful not to damage the plant.

  

• Pick some tender leaves as well.
  To keep the primrose flowers fresh after picking, place them in a bowl with water and store them in a cool place. Ideally, use them as soon as possible.

  

• Thinly slice the primrose leaves. Prepare the vegetable broth (I used water and vegetable bouillon).

  

• Add the tender primrose leaves. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

  

• Thinly slice some onion or the green stems of a scallion (as I did) and sauté them with a little olive oil.

  

• Then toast the rice (after rinsing it), stirring, and optionally deglaze with white wine.

  

• Add the broth gradually, stirring as needed.

  

• When to add primroses to the risotto? The primroses should be added towards the end of the cooking process to maintain their color and aroma. Some can be used fresh as a decoration.

  

• When the primrose risotto is ready, remove from the heat and cream with cheese and extra virgin olive oil.
  How to make the risotto creamy? Cream the risotto with butter and grated cheese, or alternatively with a creamy cheese such as casatella, crescenza, gorgonzola, mascarpone, ricotta (for a light result), robiola or stracchino.
  
  For a vegan version: cream with vegetable butter (such as soy or peanut butter), evo oil, and nutritional yeast flakes, coconut cream, vegan cheeses based on nuts, unsweetened vegetable cream, silken tofu or tahini.