Green Risotto with Speck and Watercress

Here is an Italian variant of green risotto with speck and watercress:

Ingredients

• 350 g of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• 100 g of speck cut into thin strips
• 1 bunch of watercress
• 1 small shallot
• 1 liter of vegetable broth
• 100 ml of dry white wine
• 50 g of butter
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Clean the watercress, wash it and dry it. Set aside a few leaves for garnish and finely chop the rest.
2. Chop the shallot and sauté it with a drizzle of oil in a saucepan until it becomes translucent.
3. Add the strips of speck and toast for a few minutes until they become crispy.
4. Add the rice and let it toast, stirring, until the grains become translucent.
5. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
6. Start adding the hot vegetable broth, one ladle at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next one. Continue this process for about 16-18 minutes.
7. Halfway through cooking, incorporate the chopped watercress to let the risotto take on a nice green color and become fragrant.
8. Taste and, if necessary, adjust with salt and pepper.
9. When the rice is al dente and the risotto is creamy, remove from heat and cream it with cold butter cut into pieces and the grated Parmesan, stirring vigorously to emulsify.
10. Let the risotto rest covered for one minute.
11. Serve the risotto by plating it with a sprinkling of Parmesan on the surface and decorating with the watercress leaves set aside.

Curiosity

Risotto is a very versatile dish in Italian cuisine, and this version with watercress and speck is a fresh and tasty variant. Watercress, with its slightly peppery flavor, pleasantly contrasts with the sweetness of the speck, creating a particularly enjoyable balance of flavors.