Dad's Leek Risotto

A less is more lesson in how to make a classic dish sing

Hi friends,

With so much f-ing crazy shit going on in the world right now, we felt like this week’s offering needed stay in the realm of “easy and comforting”. In fact, as we battled a recent bout of norovirus and waves of existential dread, we decided that this season will continue being one of easy comfort as far as our recipes go (no January detoxes for the Green Spoon). As ever, we’re turning to our stoves to find some momentary reprieve from the madness. Thus, we give you a recipe for leek risotto that’s an emotional alternative to pasta with butter and parmesan, with enough added intrigue to compel the adults in your family, too.

The recipe below is a reminder that fewer ingredients and a simplified technique can sometimes yield the most delicious version of a dish. This risotto involves little beside, well, leeks and rice, but the combination of grains and alliums—found in virtually all global cuisines—is a no-brainer for a reason: it tastes unbelievably good.

This easy method is how Fanny’s dad makes risotto—hence the name—and it yields a better risotto than virtually any you’ll find at a restaurant. Truth be told, if Fanny’s dad were making this risotto it would likely include some variety of pork product, but here we’ve decided to strip it way back—to simplify it enough for a) a weeknight or b) tummies recently emerged from the clutches of norovirus. Either way.

Fanny + Greta

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