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Safron Cauliflower Risotto recipe.
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Saffron Cauliflower Risotto
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Saffron Cauliflower Risotto is a creamy dish that can be served as a vegetarian entree or a side dish to pair with fish. Risotto is pure comfort food with an elegant twist. A humble grain turned regal when infused with saffron and cooked slowly in stock, parmesan cheese and butter. A labor of love but well worth it. Serve immediately. Serve with a green salad if using as an entree, or serve with seared fish like halibut, salmon or cod or shrimp.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cauliflower risotto, risotto
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Author: Ginger
Ingredients
  • 6 cups 1 liter and 473 ml Vegetable or chicken broth *preferably homemade
  • 1 head Cauliflower about 1 lb 9 oz 720 g
  • 1/2 about 4 oz/ 115 g of a medium Zucchini
  • 2 Tb olive oil or butter, plus 2 Tb of butter for finishing the risotto
  • 1 onion
  • 1 1/2 cup 10 oz/ 299 g arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup 4 oz/ 118 ml dry white wine, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1/2 tea saffron threads
  • 1/2 cup 2 oz/ 54 g finely grated Parmesan Reggiano
  • Kosher Salt
  • Fresh ground black Pepper
  • Small handful of flat leaf parsley minced
Instructions
Prep

  1. Have the vegetable or chicken stock ready. 

  2. Core the cauliflower and discard. Cut the cauliflower into small bite size pieces, separating the "flowery" parts from their stems. Cut up the inner stems of the cauliflower florets into small pieces. Set aside.
  3. Trim off one end of the zucchini and use a julienne grater from a mandoline, or a box grater, and grate the zucchini. Set aside.
  4. Mince the onion then set aside until cooking the risotto
  5. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets to the boiling water and blanch for about 3 minutes. You will want the cauliflower to be tender but crisp and keep their shape. Scoop the cauliflower out of the water with a slotted spoon or spider and put into a bowl.
  6. Return the water to a boil and cook the cauliflower stems for 5 minutes, until slightly soft. Once cooked, remove the cauliflower stems from the water with a slotted spoon or spider, and place in a mini food processor. Pour the cauliflower water into a small bowl and set aside.
  7. Add about 2 Tb of the cauliflower water into the food processor with the cauliflower and process until the cauliflower is smooth. Set aside. If you do not own a food processor, place the blanched cauliflower stems on a cutting board and mince extra fine or mash with the side of your knife.
Making the risotto
  1. Put all of your vegetable stock into a medium saucepan and turn on the heat to medium. The stock needs to stay hot while you are cooking risotto.
  2. Place a 5 quart Dutch Oven on the burner and turn the heat to medium. Add 2Tb of olive oil (or butter) to the pan and heat up the oil. Add the minced onions and 1/4 tea of Kosher salt and sweat the onions. Stir the onions to get them evenly coated with the olive oil. Cook the onions until they are soft and translucent, be careful not to brown the onions.
  3. Add the zucchini then stir to combine and cook for a few minutes until all the liquid has evaporated.
  4. Add the rice then stir to coat with the oil and cook until the rice becomes translucent around the edges of each grain.
  5. Add the wine, stir and cook until the liquid is all gone.
  6. Add the saffron threads, stir into the rice then add 1/2 cup, or ladleful, of stock to the rice. Stir to combine and cook, stirring every minute or so until the liquid is absorbed, but not dry.
  7. Add more stock, a ladleful or 1/2 cup at a time. Stir into the rice and then cook, stirring every minute.
  8. Continue adding stock when the liquid is absorbed by the rice, but the rice and pan are not dry. Stirring every minute until the rice is al dente. Start tasting the rice at the 20-minute mark to gauge its progress. My risotto usually takes about 30 minutes. Use the cauliflower water if you need more stock.
  9. 4 minutes before the rice is done add the cauliflower, the puree and florets, with some stock. Stir to combine and continue to cook.
  10. Add the cheese and butter with some stock and stir to combine.
  11. The risotto is done when the rice is soft, but there is a slight bite in the middle.
  12. The risotto should be loose, not dry, more like stew consistency.
  13. Add the minced parsley then serve the risotto in individual soup bowls.
  14. Serve immediately and garnish with more grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Recipe Notes

If you want a more creamy consistency you can add more parmesan and butter. Add them in slowly and a little bit at a time. I have seen various recipes that add up to a cup (108 g) of parmesan cheese and 4 Tb of butter. My advice is to taste as you go and be careful not to make the risotto mushy and heavy.