Creamy Rice & Garden Peas in Parmesan Broth

This recipe shows just how impressive and comforting a simple rice dish can be. It’s inspired by the Italian dish known as risi e bisi, which means “rice and peas,” appropriately enough. This is similar to risotto but less fussy to make and a bit more brothy. You’ll need bowls and spoons for serving. 

Speaking of broth, I love the aroma and flavor of the Parmesan broth, but when time is tight, it’s fine to skip those steps and substitute richly flavored chicken broth. Another idea is to be a friend to your future self and make a double or triple batch of the Parmesan broth, and stash the leftovers in the freezer so that it’s ready and waiting when you’re craving this recipe. 

A delicious variation is to replace the little green garden peas with cooked field peas. I talk about cooking and selecting field peas in season one of The Key Ingredient, so you can look it up. 

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups of Parmesan broth (recipe follows; see note)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup very finely chopped onion or shallots
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup short-grain rice (such as Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
• 1 cup frozen baby green peas or freshly picked and shelled green peas
• 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Garnish with finely chopped chives, parsley or fresh mint and a sliver more Parmesan

Directions

Bring the stock to a very gentle simmer in a medium saucepan. Keep warm over low heat. 

Warm the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a big pinch of salt, and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the rice, and stir until each grain is coated and a little shiny, about 2 minutes. 

Add 1 cup of the warm stock. Cook, stirring continuously, until the rice absorbs the stock. Continue adding stock 1 cup at a time, stirring continuously and waiting until the rice absorbs each addition before adding the next. After the third addition of stock, stir in the rest of the stock and the peas. Continue cooking until the rice is al dente and bathed in creamy, slightly thickened broth, stirring occasionally. The entire process should take 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t overcook the peas so that they remain bright green. You might have a little stock left over, but it’s better for the dish to be a little too soupy rather than too dry. Aim for a consistency between soup and risotto. 

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheese, lemon zest and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Season generously with pepper and taste for salt. Sprinkle with herbs (and a little more Parmesan, if you like) and serve at once.

Parmesan Broth

Note: If you use vegetable stock in this broth, be sure it’s light-colored and golden. I use a brand that’s labeled “Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth.” Avoid vegetable stocks that contain tomatoes and lots of carrots, because their red color will stain the rice an unattractive ruddy color, plus tomato flavor doesn’t belong in this dish. 

Hint: You don’t necessarily have to accumulate the cheese rinds over time. Many cheese shops sell them, often for much less per pound than the cheese itself. The rinds keep for months in the freezer. 

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano rinds
• 4 cups richly flavored chicken broth (preferably homemade) or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

Use a paring knife or vegetable peeler to scrape away any surface mold from the Parmesan rinds. Rinse the rinds under cool water, and then place in a medium saucepan. 

Pour in the broth and water. Add the garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the rinds don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Strain the stock, and discard the solids (or nibble the rinds). Cool, cover and refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

Note: If using freshly shelled garden peas (meaning you just shelled freshly picked peas before they had time to even think about turning starchy or shriveled), you can add the empty pea pods to the stock, and then strain them out in step 3.

Sheri Castle, award-winning food writer and cooking teacher, is known for melding culinary expertise, storytelling and humor, so she can tell a tale while making a memorable meal. Her creative, well-crafted recipes and practical advice inspire people to cook with confidence and enthusiasm. She's written a tall stack of cookbooks and her work appears in dozens of magazines. In 2019, the Southern Foodways Alliance named Sheri among Twenty Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller.

Sheri says that she's fueled by great ingredients and the endless pursuit of intriguing stories, usually about the role that food plays in our lives, families, communities and culture.

When she steps away from the kitchen or a local farm, Sheri enjoys spending quiet time at her home near Chapel Hill. She hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.