Mouth-watering baked meat cubes, juicy rice, and delicious vegetables. All mix together. This meal appeared in my dream once. I was dreaming that I am in a luxurious restaurant, and that luxurious restaurant is only selling allium-free food. There were so many delicious-looking foods, but I decided to try risotto because I never had risotto in my life. The waiter was bringing my risotto to me, and just before I got to try it, my alarm clock was ringing.
I decided to recreate this risotto from my dream, and it tasted delicious. I love making this risotto, and as a result, I’m cooking it often. Also, Peter likes it too. One of the things that we love about this meal is the meat. It is crunchy, not chewy because I’m baking the meat, not cooking it. As a result, I got a good balance to the meal with the crispiness of the meat.
Looking for more allium-free risotto recipes? Check out my Creamy and Flavorful Risotto.
Garnish for this meal:
Garnish can elevate how the food looks, and it can make it look more appetizing. However, garnish can be a spot where alliums are hiding. In this recipe, I garnished my plate with freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated parmesan.
Fun fact about spinach
Spinach is a plant that people have been eating for many centuries. It came from Persia.
In the past, people were using spinach as food, as green paint for painting, and lastly as medication.
Spinach was used as medication on the battlefields in World War I. Spinach is rich in vitamin K, and the human body needs vitamin K to create blood clots. In the event of soldiers being injured, doctors were mixing spinach with wine and gave it to the wounded soldiers. With this drink, they managed to save a lot of soldiers, and it helped soldiers to recover and return to the battlefield.
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How healthy is spinach?
Spinach is a very healthy vegetable. It is full of fiber, and it can help with bowel health and fight constipation. Besides that, it contains lutein and zeaxanthin which are needed for eye health. Furthermore, spinach contains a high amount of nitrates that are needed for a healthy heart.
Spinach contains:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K1
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
- Iron
- Calcium
In conclusion, spinach is a very healthy ingredient.
Tips and tricks
- Defrost the spinach without a microwave: pour boiling water into a medium size bowl. Next on top of the bowl place a plate, and on the plate put spinach in a small bowl. And then add 3 tablespoons of water. And then cover it with a plate soup that is turned upside-down as a lid. Wait for like 10 minutes.
- If you are using spinach leaves, cut the leaves into small pieces, or you can use a blender for it. First, put defrosted spinach in it, and then add a few tablespoons of water. Blend it.
- You can put the meat in this marinade, and let it marinade over the night.
How to know if it’s done?
- Meat has a nice golden color
- Rice is soft to taste.
Spinach risotto: what can go wrong, and how to fix it:
- Rice is too dry
Add a little bit of water, and boil it - Rice is too watery
Boil it for a few minutes, so that the water can evaporate - When frying the meat, it starts smoking
Lower the heat, and add a tablespoon of oil
How to store spinach risotto?
I do not recommend storing Spinach risotto.
If you are looking for something that you can store for multiple days, try this delicious cabbage with noodles instead.
Spinach risotto no-onion no-garlic
Ingredients
- 1 lbs pork cutlets 450g
- ½ teaspoon ground rosemary
- 1 cup Arborio rice 280g
- 6 oz frozen spinach 170g
- 3 oz frozen peas 85g
- 4 cups water 950ml
- 1½ tablespoons parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
Instructions
- Cut the pork cutlets into small cubes.
- In a small bowl, combine the pork cubes with salt, ground rosemary, and cooking oil. Mix well and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Cook the pork over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it develops a golden color and is fully cooked. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, add Arborio rice and toast it, stirring frequently, until lightly golden. Meanwhile, warm the water in the microwave.
- Add the peas, spinach, 1 cup of water, salt, parsley flakes, dried thyme, and pepper to the rice. Stir constantly until the water evaporates.
- Add another cup of water and continue stirring until it evaporates. Repeat this step with one more cup of water.
- Finally, add ½ cup of water and stir constantly until it evaporates. Taste the rice—if it’s not tender and creamy, add another ½ cup of water and continue cooking while stirring constantly. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove from heat, add the cooked pork, and stir to combine.
- Add the grated parmesan and mix well until melted and fully incorporated.
Video
Need more recipe ideas?
Check out these recipes:
- Chicken & Mushroom Ragout
- Homemade Tomato Soup
- Zoodles Bolognese
- Tiny Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce
- Marry Me Meatballs
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