Risotto Confetti

By avpeters

Ingredients

• 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 oz. hard salami, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cups dry arborio rice
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups frozen peas (10 oz.)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Editor’s Note
Good risotto is creamy—never soupy or dry. It should have flow and movement, yet enough substance to mound on a spoon. For a step-by-step overview on how to prepare risotto, see the Risotto Slide Show.

Simmer broth in a large saucepan; keep it warm over low heat.
Sauté salami over medium heat in 1 Tbsp. butter in a heavy 5–6 quart pan until edges are crispy and brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer salami to a plate, reserving drippings in pan. Sauté onion in same pan with 1 Tbsp. butter; stirring often, cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice; cook 1–2 minutes to coat grains with drippings.
Add wine. Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup broth and simmer until it’s completely absorbed. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Add more broth only after previous addition is absorbed, until a total of 5 cups have been added. Then start adding broth in 1/2 cup increments.
Taste rice after cooking it for 20 minutes; continue cooking until rice is firm but not chalky in the center. Add frozen peas with final 1/2 cup of broth; stir until broth is absorbed. Remove risotto from heat.
Stir in reserved salami, remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, cheese, tomatoes, and parsley; season with salt and red pepper flakes. Rest risotto for 1–2 minutes, covered, to allow grains to continue absorbing liquid.