SPINACH RISOTTO

Spinach Risotto 

• 8 ounces cold taleggio

• 10 ounces/8 packed cups spinach, any thick stems removed

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 medium red onion, finely diced

• 3 cups finely diced celery

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

• 1 ½ cup Arborio rice

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed

• ¾ cup dry white wine

• 3 ½ cups good vegetable or chicken stock

1 Cut the rind off the taleggio and discard. Dice the cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside at room temperature as you prepare the rice.

2 Line a colander with a clean dish towel and place spinach inside. Heat about 8 cups of water until boiling, then pour over spinach; the spinach will wilt. Let spinach sit until cool enough to handle, then use the dish towel to squeeze out the water. Transfer spinach to a food processor and blend with 1 tablespoon butter until smooth. (You’ll end up with about 1 cup of purée.) Reserve.

3 Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery and garlic; cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until toasted and golden, about 5 minutes.

4 Stir in wine and cook until it’s absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often but not necessarily continuously, until the stock is finished and the rice is cooked through but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes.

5 Stir in spinach purée, then taste and add more salt, if needed. Add taleggio and stir to melt. Serve immediately.