Saffron Risotto with Peas & Pea Shoots

I had some saffron butter leftover from way back when early spring when I was cooking some English peas. It's been sitting in my fridge since then getting pretty bored. So I finally decided on a job and made Saffron Risotto. I adapted the recipe from the Sunday Suppers at Lucques cookbook using whatever amount of saffron butter I had and a mixture of leftover onion and shallots but preserving the proportion of rice to liquids.

In the book, the saffron risotto is paired with osso bucco with peas and pea shoots. In trying to keep intact my affinity for cooking ease as of late I skipped the osso bucco part and crowned the risotto itself with peas and pea shoots. You can probably tell from the color of the risotto that I could have used more saffron/saffron butter. But it was still good!



I enjoyed this rather delicious dish with a glass of Familie Bauer Gruner Veltliner which I purchased at Silverlake Wine Co a few weeks ago.

In terms of my experience with risotto, I've only had it once at a restaurant and that was merely 6 months ago back when I had an amazing meal at Chez Panisse. I've cooked it a few times prior to having it out but having a proper risotto really blew me away. The Chez Panisse risotto had such a perfect coating of starch on each grain of rice and tender but with a pleasant bite in the middle. of course mine wasn't up to that standard but it was still good eating.

I'm scared to go out and start trying other risottos now to avoid disappointment. But then again this would make for a very delicious project! :] Meanwhile I will keep practicing.