Artichoke and Red Bell Pepper Risotto

Imagine a dish that’s creamy, comforting, and bursting with vibrant flavors-this Artichoke and Red Bell Pepper Risotto is exactly that! With tender, earthy artichokes and sweet, smoky red bell peppers, each bite offers a delightful harmony of textures and tastes. Perfect for a cozy dinner or an impressive meal for guests, this risotto transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious, colorful feast. Ready to dive into a bowl of velvety goodness that’s as beautiful as it is delicious? Let’s get cooking!

Serves: 6

Ingredients

·      5 – 6 cups vegetable broth

·      2 jars (7.5 oz each) quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained

·      3 shallots

·      1 tbsp olive oil

·      1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice

·      1 1/2 cups dry white wine such as Chardonnay

·      1 tbsp lemon zest

·      1 small red bell pepper

·      1/2 cup frozen peas

·      2 oz cream cheese, softened

·      2 oz (about 1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated

·      Snipped fresh chives (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat broth in 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low.

2. Meanwhile, place artichokes into 12-inch skillet (do not use stainless cookware); sauté over medium-high heat 4 – 5 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from skillet; reserve 1/2 cup of the artichokes. Set aside remaining artichokes.

3. Meanwhile, finely chop shallots. Add oil, shallots, and rice to skillet; cook and stir 1 – 2 minutes or until shallots are tender and rice is shiny and translucent. Add wine; cook 1 – 2 minutes or until wine is completely evaporated. Carefully add 1 cup of the broth to the skillet; cover and cook 2 – 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Repeat with remaining broth in 1 cup increments, cooking 2 – 3 minutes after each addition or until liquid is absorbed. Remove skillet from heat.

4. Meanwhile, cut bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Stir remaining artichokes, lemon zest, bell pepper, peas, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese into rice. Top with reserved artichokes and garish with snipped fresh chives, if desired.

Notes:

• Risotto is cooked by adding the broth in increments. When rice is completely cooked, it should have a creamy texture with a slight bit in the center of the rice grain. Adding the liquid slowly allows the rice to slowly cook and release the starches. This prevents the rice from becoming gummy.

• If you are not a huge fan of artichokes, you can easily use only one jar of artichoke hearts and keep the other measurements the same.