Summer Squash Risotto with Fresh Garlic, Petite Peas & Basil

My CSA has already been keeping me very well stocked in the summer squash department, & it’s not even officially summer yet. I don’t have a lot of tried & true summer squash recipes, so I decided to come up with my own - a bright & summery risotto.

I received a few stalks of fresh garlic from the CSA, & having no clue how to use them, I asked the gal at the farm stand what she recommended. She said she uses it just like you would a garlic clove, so I minced up one stalk & used it in my risotto. It looks very much like an onion but has that intense garlic aroma & flavor.

SUMMER SQUASH RISOTTO WITH FRESH GARLIC, PETITE PEAS & BASIL Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan

Recipe Type: Main Dish, Risotto

Cuisine: Vegan

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

• ½ cup Vidalia Onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, or 1 stalk of fresh garlic, finely minced

• ¼ cup white wine

• 4-5 cups organic vegetable broth

• 1 cup Arborio rice

• 2 medium yellow squash

• ½ cup frozen, thawed petite peas

• ¼ cup fresh basil, julienned

• 1 Tbsp vegan butter

• Freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash squash & cut into ½ moons about a ½ inch thick. Set aside.

2. In a large, heavy saucepan or dutch oven, heat olive oil, & add onion & garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes over medium heat.

3. Stir in the rice, & cook for 2 minutes until opaque. Add wine & stir until absorbed.

4. Ladle broth into the rice, one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently over medium heat, after each addition. Wait until broth is almost completely absorbed before adding more.

5. After about 15 minutes, add squash & peas. Continue stirring & adding broth until the vegetables are tender & the rice is al dente but looks creamy, about 5 minutes.

6. Remove from heat, add fresh basil & butter, then stir. Season with fresh black pepper & garnish with more fresh basil. For a little extra brightness, top each dish with fresh lemon zest.

This dish is super creamy, yummy, & summery. Risottos tend to be very rich & sometimes heavy, but I made this dish more vegetable-dense than rice-dense, so it feels nice & lite. Enjoy!