FOOD; Young Vegetables Put Spring in Flavorful Risotto

ALTHOUGH I love risotto in the winter when I serve it with osso buco, I crave it in spring when young vegetables arrive in the market. It is wonderful with asparagus, artichokes, peas, baby carrots, sugar snap peas and even with arugula, which goes very well with shrimp.

To make a good risotto you need to use the short-grained imported rice called arborio. This rice is widely available in supermarkets and specialty stores. Unlike most other kinds of rice, arborio is cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid so that it comes out creamy, but with that slight resistance to the bite that the Italians call al dente. It is usually cooked in chicken broth (although vegetarians may use vegetable broth instead) with white wine and flavored with shallots, onions and often a few strands of saffron.

Risotto needs to be stirred frequently as you add liquid and the rice needs to be tasted to make sure it is done enough but not overcooked. A good risotto is one of the great dishes of Italian cooking. Risotto With Artichokes And Fava Beans Total time: 1 hour 1 1/2pounds fava beans 4artichokes Juice of 1 lemon 6cups chicken or vegetable broth 2tablespoons unsalted butter 2shallots, minced 1 1/2cups arborio rice 2/3cup of dry white wine Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1/3cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

1. Remove the fava beans from the pods and peel the skins off the beans. Set them aside. Cut the top third from the artichokes. Cut the chokes into quarters and remove the choke with a sharp knife. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into a bowl of cold water and add the artichoke quarters as they are peeled. This will prevent them from turning brown.

2. Bring the chicken or vegetable broth to simmer.

3. Heat the butter in a large skillet and saute the shallots until they are soft. Slice the artichoke quarters and add them. Saute them lightly, then add the rice and saute, stirring, until it turns opaque.

4. Add the wine and let it reduce. Add one cup of hot chicken stock and mix it in so the rice absorbs it. As the liquid is absorbed, add more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. After 10 minutes of cooking, add the fava beans. Continue adding liquid and stir for about 20 minutes all told, or until the rice is al dente. The liquid should be absorbed and the rice creamy. Stir in the cheese, cover for a minute or two, then serve, with extra cheese passed separately.