Oven Risotto with Kale Pesto

-Preheat your oven to 350°.

-Toast ½ cup walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

-Finely chop 1 onion.

-Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat.

-Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, 5–8 minutes.

-Stir in the following:

1 cup Arborio rice

A pinch of sea salt

Some fresh black pepper

-Cook, stirring, until some grains are translucent, about 5 minutes.

-Add ½ cup dry white wine, bring to a simmer and cook until pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.

-Add 2 cups very hot water.

-Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake in oven until liquid is mostly absorbed but rice is still starchy in the center, 15–18 minutes (it should be undercooked).

-Meanwhile, pulse the following together in a food processor until very finely ground.

1 large clove of garlic

Half of the toasted walnuts

-Take the stems out of 1 bunch of kale.

-Add the following to the garlic/walnut mixture:

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Half of the kale  

¼ cup cold water

-Process until smooth, season pesto with sea salt and pepper.

-Set saucepan over medium heat.

-Add ¾ cup very hot water and cook rice, stirring constantly, until it is tender but still has some bite and sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes.

-Stir in pesto along with the following:

2 TBS butter

1.5 cups of grated Parmesan

And the remaining kale

-Adjust consistency with water, if needed; season with salt and pepper.

-Serve topped with remaining walnuts and more grated Parmesan cheese.

Beet Risotto with Walnuts and Gorgonzola Cheese

-Top and scrub clean 1 bunch of beets, leaving them whole.

-Steam them until tender, about 20-25 minutes.

-Run them under cold water, until they are cool enough to handle and then slip the skins.

-When cool, chop the beets into ¾ inch cubes.

-In a small pan bring 5 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable stock to a near boil with 1 tsp sea salt.

-In a large pan over medium heat, warm 2 TBS olive oil with 1 TBS unsalted butter.

-Finely chop and add 4 garlic cloves.

-Sauté until soft and clear, about 5 minutes.

-Add 1½-cup Arborio rice, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

-Add ½ cup stock and stir constantly until liquid is absorbed.

-Add more stock, about ¼ cup each time. It should take about 20 minutes in all, though you receive bonus points if you have the patience to take 25-30 minutes to add all of the stock.

-Before the last ladle of stock is added, stir in 4-5 oz crumbled Gorgonzola and 1/3 cup walnuts.

-After the last bit of liquid is absorbed, add the chopped beets.

-Let the risotto stand 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Risotto with Fennel, Peas, Fresh Garlic and Parmesan

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
-In a saucepan, combine 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and ½ cup of minced onion and 3 cloves minced garlic. 
-Cook for 3-4 minutes until onions and garlic are translucent.
-Add 1 cup Arborio rice and stir to coat. 
-Add 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock, 2 cups chopped snap peas or snow peas and 2 small chopped fennel bulbs.
-Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and then add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt.
-Transfer to a 1-quart soufflé dish and cover with another 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of finely chopped green onions and dill.
 -Bake for 35-40 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.