Hearts of Palm Risotto

So lately I have found that I have a weakness for Risotto. I found a recipe for Asparagus risotto that I posted on my other blog, and will soon move over here, but ever since trying that, I feel like I can't get enough. It is usually pretty rich, so if I eat to much I get a tummy ache, but sometimes it is worth it. Originally I thought that making risotto would be hard, it is a little time consuming, but not difficult, so don't let it scare you!

If you have never had Hearts of Palm before, this recipe might not sound that good, but definitely get yourself out and try hearts of palm sometime. I was introduced to them through the salad bars of many Brazilian restaurants in Chicago.

Note: The recipe is in grams and ml so I tried to convert them as best as possible.

Hearts of Palm Risotto
From: Technicolor Kitchen
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cold butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ small onion, chopped
140g Arborio rice (a little more than ¾ cup)
60ml dry white wine (aprox. ¼ cup)
700ml vegetable stock (approximately 3 cups)
2-3 hearts of palm, sliced
20g Parmesan cheese, grated (approx. ¼ cup)
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon cold butter
salt and pepper


Directions:
1. Bring Stock to a boil in a medium Saucepan.

2. Separately, in a large pan, heat olive oil and butter over high heat. Add the Onion and cook until it's transparent.

3. Pour in the rice and stir for 1 minute; add the wine and stir until it's absorbed.

4. Add the stock - 1 ladleful at a time - and stir constantly until it's absorbed. Repeat this step until the rice is al dente (20 mins or so).

5. One minute before it's ready add the hearts of palm and mix well (I used almost a whole can of sliced HoP and sliced them even a little smaller, the rest I used on a salad).

6. Remove from heat, add butter, and cheese and mix well. (I used real Parmesan Cheese and it was definitely worth it, although I saved some time and bought some that was already grated. Also, I used a little more than 1/4 of a cup because I LOVE Cheese).

7. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

8. Serve immediately, garnish with parsley if desired (I didn't use fresh... shame on me!), and Enjoy!