Artichoke risotto
Simple for health
The most famous recipe with artichokes is the one in which they are cooked stuffed with breadcrumbs and garlic in a pea and bean sauce. It is a delicious slow food recipe in which the tips of the artichoke leaves are licked and scraped with your teeth while dipping bread in the sauce, and the beans are eaten on the side. I like this version, but my kids don’t want to eat it. I had to come up with another recipe for this delicacy that nature gives us. Okay, I didn’t think of anything complex because I offer you a recipe for risotto, but this is just one suggestion for a great alternative dish with artichokes.
Artichokes are always at the top of the list when it comes to foods with easily soluble fiber, they promote healthy digestion, they are rich in antioxidants and contain a wide range of nutrients, they help cleanse the liver and blood. When I read about their value, it seems like they are a cure for everything from blood and liver health to reducing the risk of cancer and blood pressure. Fortunately, their taste is really great, a little specific but delicious, especially in combination with other Mediterranean delicacies. If you have the chance, get some “flowers” and try this simple nutritious risotto. :)
I usually pick them, and I always cut them with gloves because their inner juice oxidizes very quickly and turns everything it comes into contact with dark brown. I can’t wash that color off my hands and around my nails for days, so it’s better for me to put on gloves than to explain that my hands are clean but that I picked artichokes. Once picked, they can sit in the fridge for a few days until it’s time to use this risotto recipe, but I’ve noticed that if they sit longer than that, they start to dry out and become tough, and the heart, which is eaten, gets smaller and smaller. It’s best to use fresh artichokes.
INGREDIENTS
- 4-5 artichokes
- olive oil
- onion
- 2 or 3 cloves of garlic
- half a cup of Arborio rice
- quarter a cup of millet
- teaspoon of mustard
- salt, pepper
PREPARATION
I clean the artichokes from the outer, hard leaves and cut only the soft hearts into crescents. You can use just rice for the risotto, lately I’ve been mixing it with millet or quinoa just to make it a little richer in nutrients. But that’s not necessary for this recipe to be delicious. I dice the onion and garlic and fry them in olive oil until they get a little color. I throw the prepared artichoke hearts on this base and sauté them in oil for a little longer. Then I add pepper to give it a fragrance and dry rice (and millet) on top and briefly turn it in the oil and vegetable base. I add almost twice as much water as there is rice, but not too much because I like the rice to remain al dente. I also add salt and let it cook for about 13 minutes. When the risotto is cooked, I stir in a teaspoon of mustard. If you have an open bottle of white wine, you can add a few tablespoons of wine to the risotto.
I serve the risotto sprinkled with a little parsley, if you like Parmesan cheese it would also go very well. We had Veggie burgers and a green salad with bean sprouts as a side dish for even more vitality and refreshment. Enjoy this special meal. :)
