Zucchini and parma ham risotto

Did someone ask for dreamy? I mean, creamy? This is a pretty quick, as quick as a risotto can be, and totally efficient dish.

By the way, parma ham = salted ham.

Here's what we'll need.

Usually a risotto is made with some wine but I don't use it, I'm rounded with very sensitive palates...  

Start cleaning the rice with water and let it strain. Grab an onion, cut the top and the bottom, then peel off the outer skin and chop the onion nicely. Next, add two teaspoons of butter in a large skillet. When the butter is melted, add the chopped onion. Stir... and do some dancing while you're waiting, if you are in the mood... turiruriuuuu.... add the rice when the onion is kind of transparent. Yeah, you heard me, raw rice.

We'll keep low heat all the time.

The rice will become transparent-ish in a while too. When that happen, add enough stock to cover the rice. I used chicken stock to add a bit of consistency but you can use any kind of stock you like but fish stock, that would taste weird with the ham. 

Add more stock when the rice absorbs most of it. Keep adding so the rice is always covered by it.

Meanwhile the rice and stock mixture is boiling (not forget to stir once in a while and add more stock if needed), peel roughly two zucchinis and cut them in fine slices.

Cut the tops and the bottoms of the spring onions and take the outer skin, same as regular onion. Chop the spring onions in chunky pieces.

Then, in a different skillet, add some olive oil. When it's hot, add the zucchini slices and the spring onion chunks. Cook for about five minutes.

In the meantime, grate some cheese. Parmesan would be great, actually would be awesome. But some other with similar texture works perfectly fine. Also, cut parma ham in small pieces with scissors.

At this point, the rice should look something like THIS, and it should be done already. Know what? Taste it. If you don't, you'll never know. So... done? Good, add the grated cheese and two teaspoons of butter. Stir well together (and taste again, mmmmmh...)

Finally, add the parma ham and the vegetables.

Taste again and... spice it with some pepper and salt.

Oh yeah, and taste again.

I almost forgot! The secret ingredient! Cut some leafs of fresh basil and add them.

And... lunch is served!

THE END...

ZUCCHINI AND PARMA HAM RISOTTO
Serves 4

• 300g white rice
• 1 onion
• 4 tsp butter
• 1L stock
• 2 zucchinis
• 3 spring onions
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 90g grated cheese (Parmesan better)
• 200g parma ham
• basil
• salt & pepper

1. Clean rice under running water. Stir.

2. Peel and chop the onion nicely. Melt 2 of the tsp in a large skillet. Add the onion and fry it lightly. Add the rice and fry it lightly too till it looks transparent. Pour stock gradually so the rice is always covered by it.  Stir occasionally.

3. Clean and peel roughly the zucchinis, then slice them up. Clean and cut the spring onions in chunky pieces. Fry lightly the vegetables in a different pan with olive oil during 5 minutes. 

4. Cut parma ham in small pieces and grate cheese.

5. After 15 minutes approximately of boiling, the stock will be almost absorbed, add grated cheese and the rest of the butter (2 tsp). Stir. Add parma ham and vegetables. Stir well together, again. 

6. Spice it up and turn the heat off.

7. Clean and cut some basil leafs. Add them to the rice. Stir.

8. Eat and enjoy!

Note: you can decorate the dish with some fresh basil leafs and some grated cheese rind.

Love,

Adela*