Radish Leaf Risotto

Here is a recipe to avoid wasting ingredients. I had a couple of lovely bunches of radishes, which I fermented with umeboshi vinegar (made from Japanese salted plums), and since the leaves were very fresh, I used them for an unusual risotto.

320 g Carnaroli rice
1 onion
2 bunches of radish leaves
1 garlic clove
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 carrot
1 dried bay leaf
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Wash the radish leaves in plenty of cold water, drain and lay them on a clean tea towel.

Peel the onion and cut it in half. Clean the carrot.
Put plenty of cold water in a tall pot with half the onion, the carrot cut into large chunks, the bay leaf and a small pinch of coarse salt. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer the stock for 20 minutes.

Peel and crush the garlic. Sauté it in a non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, then remove it and add the radish leaves. After about a minute over high heat, salt lightly, stir, let the water evaporate, turn off the heat and set aside. It is a very quick cooking, like sautéed spinach.

Finely chop the remaining half onion. Grate the lemon zest, only the yellow part, avoiding the white pith, which is spongy and bitter.

In a tall pot, toast the rice dry, stirring often so it doesn't burn. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the onion and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the lemon zest, which gives the dish a fragrant touch. Start adding the stock a ladle at a time, stirring the rice all the time.

After about 10 minutes (roughly halfway through cooking) add the radish leaves, keeping a few aside for garnish. Keep stirring and adding stock a ladle at a time until the rice is cooked: soft outside, with the grain still whole and a slightly firm heart.

Turn off the heat, finish with a drizzle of olive oil instead of butter and serve hot, with a few whole radish leaves.