Well Seasoned Blog

I was at the Langley Community Farmers Market www.langleycommunityfarmersmarket.com this week where I picked up 2 rather significant bags of locally grown, super fresh, in the shell sweet peas.

They don’t usually make any farther than from the bag to the mouth in the car on the way home but my husband wasn’t with me so I was able to get them home, peeled and into dinner before he was any the wiser!

Barely cooked these sweet little guys make the perfect addition to a rich creamy risotto.  Dinner is made only slightly better by serving it with a chilled glass of Township 7 Sauvignon Blanc.  The crisp acidity in the wine cuts through the creaminess of the butter & cheese only to highlight the sweetness of the peas.

For me – it’s a perfect Friday night supper.  Don’t bother inviting anyone over, you are going to want to enjoy this as a dinner for 2.

Summer Sweet Pea Risotto

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small clove of garlic, minced

½ cup sweet onion, finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice  (imported rice from Italy – important in a perfect risotto available at www.wellseasoned.ca )

1 cup of Township 7 Sauvignon Blanc

4 cups of best quality chicken broth

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 ½ cups freshly shucked peas

Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil together in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sauté until translucent & fragrant – about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil & butter. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan and then stir in the stock ½ cup at a time until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked al dente, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small processer or blender puree 2 cups of the fresh peas with a splash of the chicken stock.  Near the end of the cooking time, stir the pea puree into the risotto until fully incorporated and then fold in the remaining whole peas. Stir in the last tablespoon of butter, the parmesan and season with salt, and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately with a cold glass of Township 7 Sauvignon Blanc.    www.township7.com