Soramame-iri safuran rizotto / saffron risotto with fava beans

Cheerful and aromatic. The combination of saffron and fava beans is simple enough to pair with any dish -- fish, meat, other beans and vegetables.

<Ingredients>

(Serves 3-4)

200 g (approx 220 cc) arborio rice
8-10 pods (approx. 300 g) fava beans
1 clove garlic
1/3 large (1/2 medium) onion
1 tbsp (15g) butter
4 tbsp dry white wine
550 cc vegetable or chicken stock
Pinch saffron
1 & 1/2 tbsp olive oil (not in photo)
Parmigiano reggiano or parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper (not in photo)


<Directions>
1.

Heat up vegetable stock, and crush and add saffron.

2.

Shell fava beans, boil for two minutes, and drain.

When cool enough, peel skin, and set aside.

 3.

Finely chop garlic and onion.

4.

In a pot, put olive oil and garlic, and saute on low heat until fragrant and slightly toasty.

Add onion, raise heat to medium low, and saute until somewhat translucent.

5.

Add rice (without washing), and saute until somewhat translucent.

Add wine and stir, letting rice absorb wine well.

6.

Reheat vegetable stock as necessary, and pour 80-90% of the specified amount into rice. 

Raise heat to medium high or high, and bring to boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low or low, or a point where liquid is bubbling gently.

Occasionally stir; the rice should be done within 15 minutes from the time the liquid boils (this is the goal -- adjust the heat level so that the liquid goes away at a good rate).

Toward the end (after 10 minutes), check to see if rice is done. Add remaining stock, a small amount at a time, and continue simmering to obtain desired softness (rice should still be firm at very center).

7.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grate parmigiano reggiano (2 tbsp), add butter, and gently mix.

Add fava beans, and mix again.

Ready to serve.

<Notes>

• If you are unfamiliar with your stock, taste first before adding salt. 
• Parmigiano reggiano is much saltier than parmesan cheese. Watch for the balance of (potentially) salty ingredients - stock, salt and cheese.
• Heating stock first ensures a bright saffron color. Using hot stock when beginning to cook rice makes it easier to time the remaining process.
• If not using wine, increase the amount of stock.
• If you add fava beans early on, boiling them for one minute is enough (boiling fava beans makes it easy to remove skin).
• Butter is added at the end for a richer, creamier texture. One tablespoon butter is 14 g. Two tablespoons would make this risotto quite rich and greasy.
• Without fava beans, this is a basic saffron risotto.
• Leftovers can be pan-fried or baked (with or without a cercle tart ring), or turned into croquettes (arancini) the next day.