Green Risotto

Recipes and Reminiscences
from the Home of
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
My foodie friends and I are having another themed dinner party soon. The theme is going to be a tribute to Jackie Kennedy. We will wear pill box hats and pearls, and cook dishes of White House Chef René Verdon and of Marta Sgubin, Jackie’s personal chef.
So I’ve gotten out my Kennedy cookbooks and started to look for inspiration. That’s where I found the amazing Green Risotto. In Cooking for Madam by Marta Sgubin.
Marta said, “I loved to serve this for lunch in winter, because it was food with such a beautiful color.”

Heat 1/4 c. olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add a finely chopped onion. Sauté until golden brown.

Add 1 1/2 c. arborio rice and stir until each grain is coated with oil. Add 1/2 c. white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated. Add about 5 c. hot vegetable (or chicken) stock gradually as absorbed, stirring continuously until the rice is al dente.

Liquefy fresh spinach leaves with a small amount of water in a food processor.

Add the liquid spinach to the risotto.

Serve with (optional) Parmesan on the side.

Oh! Have you heard that there’s a huge virtual party going on? Legendary Italian cooks Marie and Maryann are hosting the second annual Festa Italiana. A grand buffet bigger and finer than any you’ll find in Vegas! Come join us for an Italian party like no other.  I’m bringing Marta’s Green Risotto.

36 thoughts on “Green Risotto”

  1. That looks tasty, and if Jacqueline Kennedy ate it, I’m sure it has some magic inside! Thanks for your recipes. They’re awesome.

  2. I do like almost any kind of risotto and this one looks really good. (How cool to have a Jackie O. theme!)
    My brother-in-law dabbles in cooking well and I still remember the risotto he made for us using spring vegetables from one of the Silver Palatte cookbooks.

  3. Rachel Allen made a green risotto recently, but she used half spinach and half rocket(arugula). I made it and it was so delicious!! I agree, this is perfect for entertaining. Enjoy your JO party…a great idea!!!

  4. My kids love risotto! And this sounds like a delicious way to incorporate healthy greens into their diet! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

  5. That looks beautiful and delicious! I used to make beet risotto which also had that striking color… I’m thinking … just before you finish the risotto, you divide it… add spinach to half and beet to the other (maybe you had some left of that delicious looking beet soup)….

  6. What a fantastic idea for a get together! And the risotto is just perfect looking. Although corny – also great for St. Pattie’s day! 🙂

  7. Lori Lynn this dish looks fabulous! I’m going to have to check out that cook book. I would love to attend one of your food parties! 🙂

  8. Okay I am lovin this dish … spinach will soon be available at the farmers markets, making note of this recipe.

  9. Lori Lynn, I hope your going to show us a picture of you with your pill box hat on, what a great theme for your party! I love the color of this risotto… I wonder how liquified basil would do? Thank you so much for joining our festa with this beautiful dish LL!
    xox, Marie

  10. This is gorgeous. I love risotto, although I don’t usually make it the proper, traditional way. Due to time limits on week nights, I usually shorten the cooking time with my pressure cooker. But I have made something like this with pureed greens (spinach or chard). So yummy.

    I love your step-by-step images. I’m curious, have you published a cookbook or do you prefer to stick to the web (which certainly has a lot of benefits of its own)?

  11. So, Jackie O, had equally sophisticated culinary tastes, I see!
    This is a lovely risotto, Lori, and one I will have to try this spring. btw-A few years back I saw a special exhibit at the Smithsonian on Jackie O’s clothing. It was really wonderfu and showed so clearly why she was is still remains an American fashion icon.

  12. THANKS ALL, really the color was fabuous, and flavor excellent too.

    Susan – I saw that same exhibit, loved it!
    Thanks Juliet, but no, no cookbook ’cause I’m really not very precise on my recipes.
    Hi Marie – I will show the pill box hat! Promise.
    Gee Laurie- you are not too far away, maybe we can make that happen?
    Julia- great idea, beet risotto color sounds gorgeous, and the two together, wow!
    Hi Tash – Love Silver Palate, and she is one of my sorority sisters.
    Hi Nina – I have to look up Rachel Allen!

    LL

  13. LL! That spinach-in-the-food-processor shot is gorgeous!

    Great idea for a Dinner Party. My mother has a pillbox hat, packed away somewhere. Next time I’m there, I’ll unwrap it and see if it fits me…

  14. I was thinking that the green was from basil but that probably would’ve been too strong. I’m liking this new to me way of preparing risotto.

  15. this recipe is gorgeous and super simple – kind of like jackie o herself. what a fun “theme” dinner.

  16. I really like this. Both the colour and the idea of adding the flavour spinach brings. It’s very versatile too – good on it’s own or as a base, complementing a colourful dish.

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