risotto with fresh green beans

The wonders of a new season -- farmers' markets -- fresh vegetables. It is about this time the first of the new green beans arrive. Here is a risotto that is simply all about fresh green beans!

This recipe serves two regular portions, with a little left over, or four first course servings. For four full course servings half again the recipe.

Ingredients:

• three tbs butter
• one-half pound fresh green beans
• one-half cup finely chopped onion
• one cup arborio rice
• one-half cup dry white wine
• 3-4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• one-third cup freshly grated parmesan
• three tbs fresh basil, chopped
• salt and pepper

Prepare the beans: cut off ends and cut them into one inch pieces. Put them in a saucepan with water boiling, and parboil until barely tender, about four minutes. Drain.

Prepare your stovetop. On a back burned get the stock to a simmer. On the front burner, add the butter to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for two minutes, until tender. Add the arborio and cook for two minutes more, stirring to get the rice coated throughout. Add the wine. Stir gently, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. After two minutes add one-half cup of stock.

Stir until the liquid is almost totally absorbed. Then continue this action, adding a half-cup of stock, stirring until almost absorbed, and repeating. At the fifteen minute mark, add the green beans to the rice and stir.

Continue this action, adding and stirring, until the rice is tender to the bite -- about twenty minutes. The taste test is always the best test for getting the proper al dente. When done remove from heat.

Stir in the parmesan and chopped basil, and add salt and a little freshly ground pepper to taste.