White Risotto With BEE Pollen And Capers
- 10m Prep Time
- 20m Cook Time
- 30m Ready In
A creamy white risotto with floral bee pollen and briny capers, inspired by Massimiliano Alajmo. This simple risotto bianco balances acidic capers with floral notes.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2/3 lbs risotto rice (preferably Acquerello)
- 4 3/13 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock (bouillon)
- 1 10/13 oz unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp mascarpone
- 3 8/15 oz Parmesan finely grated
- 1 tbsp bee pollen
- 1 tbsp capers
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 9 of 13 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 279 mg
- Iron: 1.58 mg
- Magnesium: 35.2 mg
- Phosphorus: 330 mg
- Potassium: 459 mg
- Zinc: 1.6 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2/3 lbs risotto rice (preferably Acquerello)
- 4 3/13 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock (bouillon)
- 1 10/13 oz unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp mascarpone
- 1 tbsp bee pollen
- 1 tbsp capers
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Prepare
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- Crush 1 clove garlic
- 3 8/15 oz Parmesan, finely grated
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the finely chopped shallots, crushed garlic, and fresh thyme sprig. Gently sweat, stirring occasionally, until the shallots become translucent and start to break down, about 3–4 minutes.
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Step 2.
Stir in the risotto rice, coating it with the oil and shallot mixture. Add enough hot vegetable or chicken stock to just cover the rice (about 1 cup). Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 2–3 minutes.
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Step 3.
Continue adding the hot stock gradually, about ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously and waiting until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but still al dente and the risotto is loose and creamy, about 15 minutes total. You may not need all the stock.
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Step 4.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Discard the thyme sprig. Stir in the unsalted butter, mascarpone, finely grated Parmesan, bee pollen, and capers. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. The risotto should be light, creamy, and slightly loose. Serve immediately.