Last Wednesday I got my first CSA box from Wayward Seed Farm! This is the first year I've signed up for the weekly surprise box of produce, and feel smugly good about doing my part to support a local farm. The box (actually it was a nice canvas bag with Wayward's logo inked on the side) contained: fresh (gorgeous) strawberries, tarragon, lettuce, a big bag of fresh peas still in their pods. . . and some twisty green things the farmer told me were Garlic Scapes. He said they're young garlic shoots and taste a little like a garlicky green bean.I went out on my patio in the heavy Ohio humidity and shelled the peas, nestled so nicely in their green pods, under the watchful eye of the little bullfrog in my tiny pond. I decided to try a spring-y gluten free risotto with the peas and garlic scapes, along with some pencil-thin asparagus I got from the handsome farmer at our local farmers market:
Spring Risotto with Peas, Asparagus and Mint
1 cup fresh shelled peas
1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 garlic scapes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup Arborio rice
3 T white wine
32 oz box chicken broth
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint and/or basil
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
In 1 T olive oil, sauté vegetables until slightly tender (don't overcook). Set aside. In large skillet, heat 1 T olive oil, add rice and stir to coat. Add wine and let sizzle. Add chicken broth, about a half cup at a time, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Keep repeating with broth until rice is almost tender (15 min?). Add vegetables to rice, cook with more broth until tender and liquid is mostly absorbed. Add mint and basil. Add parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
