The festive season is here, start practicing some of these delicious recipes so you’re well prepared for when the family arrives. Let’s start off with this Portabellini & Spring Veg Risotto with Poached Eggs Paired with De Wetshof Bon Vallon Chardonnay (pairing notes below).
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 liters vegetable stock, kept warm on the stove
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 500g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 large leeks, whites and pale greens only, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 cup / 250ml dry white wine
- 200g runner beans (or similar), cut into 2cm pieces
- 200g asparagus, cut into 2cm pieces
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley, stalks removed, for serving
- 6 large eggs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender and golden brown. Season. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon, and set aside.
- Heat oil and remaining 1 Tbsp butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add shallots, leeks, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are softened. Add rice and stir to coat and get slightly toasty. Add wine and reduce until fully absorbed. Add about one ladle of stock. Stir until stock is almost absorbed. Add remaining stock one ladle at a time, stirring almost constantly, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more. When rice is almost cooked add asparagus and beans and cook until tender. Cook rice until tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is very creamy about 20 minutes
- Finally add sour cream, Parmesan, and reserved mushrooms to risotto. Stir well and then cover the pot with a lid. This is where the magic happens and the Parmesan melts and everything gets very saucy and gooey.
A few minutes before risotto is done:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a bare simmer over medium-low heat. Swirl the water with a slotted spoon to create a vortex. Crack 1 egg into a small teacup, then slide into simmering water. Cook until whites are fully cooked but yolks remain runny about 2.5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the poached egg to a plate and repeat with the remaining 5.
- Check seasoning and then serve the risotto in warm bowls and top with eggs. Season the eggs well and scatter the dishes with fresh parsley.
- Portabellini & Spring Veg Risotto with Poached Eggs Paired with De Wetshof Bon Vallon Chardonnay
An unwooded Chardonnay, Bon Vallon exudes clean freshness with citrus and wildflowers on the nose and a lingering minerality on the aftertaste. The juicy palate structure makes this an ideal food wine, superb with this rich and creamy risotto. The peachy notes pair ever so well with the salty Parmesan laden risotto and the palate shows good weight, holding up to this dish and giving the meal a balanced satisfying finish.
