Meteorologically, we are already in spring, but you can’t really tell on the markets yet. At least there is chervil again, but we are still a long way from tender early turnips and asparagus. The chives in the raised bed have already woken up. In Japan they are already celebrating the first cherry blossoms.
I thought of them when I got my hands on these tiny cookie cutters while going through the kitchen drawer. I bought them in Tokyo on Kappabashi Road (known as the kitchen street) and they are shaped like small flowers. The thought was that I would definitely outdo something with it. And now they were just right. I still had a beetroot in the vegetable compartment that was just waiting for little flowers to emerge from it. Green and pink – you can’t get more spring visually.
I’ve always loved stirring risotto. It gives me the feeling that you can taste the devotion, even if some people think that such a miracle pot can do that too. I have to feel when a sip of white wine is missing or when the broth needs to be added. It is very important to rest when the risotto is actually almost ready. This is the time when I stir in an extra spoonful of butter, cream or mascarpone.
I was looking to see if you could get these tiny cookie cutters here in Germany, but unfortunately I couldn’t find the very small ones. Different sizes are available here from the large online retailer.
Risotto with spinach, leek and a pinch of “sakura”
For two
1 shallot
1 clove of garlic
2 thin leeks, only the white and light green parts sliced
150 g risotto rice e.g. Arborio
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
125 ml dry white wine
450 ml chicken broth
200 g fresh baby spinach
Handful of chervil
1 tbsp mascarpone or cream
a small ringlet for cutting out the “flowers” (to do this, cut the ringlet into 1 mm thick slices)
60g Parmesan
Rocket cress for sprinkling
Finely chop the shallot and garlic.
Put butter and olive oil in a pot and sweat both together with the leek. Add the rice. Stir for about 2 minutes, then deglaze with the white wine and let it boil down.
Now gradually add a little broth and stir at regular intervals.
Place the spinach, dripping wet, in a second pot, sprinkle with a little salt and heat briefly so that it wilts. Drain and squeeze out. Place the squeezed chives together with the chervil in a speed chopper, add a little liquid (broth, olive oil or water) and puree into a paste.
As soon as the rice has absorbed all the liquid (after about 20 minutes), stir in the spinach cream. Stir in the mascarpone and half of the Parmesan along with a spoonful of mascarpone and leave to rest for 5 minutes with the lid closed.
Divide onto plates and sprinkle with chervil, rocket cress, the remaining Parmesan and the “flowers”.
