I love the creativity, challenges, and energy of cooking on a cruise ship — developing recipes reflective of ports of call, preparing them in the galley or in a cooking class while swaying back and forth as waves swell, and always the enthusiasm and warm smiles of guests as they watch me cook in the dining room, followed by accolades as they taste each dish.
There are standouts — recipes that surprise and delight guests, leaving a wonderful lasting impression. One of those is Portuguese Green Risotto. During a transatlantic cruise, my husband and I sailed from Miami to Lisbon, our first visit to Portugal. After a few days of exploring Lisbon, we rented a car and headed north.
Up until this point, I’d always thought of risotto as an Italian dish, so I was surprised to discover it on nearly every menu throughout our stay in Portugal. Though often prepared with wild mushrooms, the menu in our Porto hotel featured green risotto. I had to try it. The risotto was perfectly al dente, definitely green, and gloriously delicious. But what made it green?
Upon our return home, I did an online search for green risotto. Most recipes incorporated asparagus, but I knew that wasn’t what I had tasted. Finally, I saw an article that mentioned spinach. After a bit of experimentation, I hit upon a simple, foolproof cooking method that provided the same flavor and rich green color I fell in love with while in Portugal.
For your next gathering of family or friends, consider adding green risotto to the menu. It’s ideal for guests who ask how they can help, because risotto requires constant stirring as wine and broth are slowly absorbed by the Arborio rice. It also provides culinary theater as guests take turns at the stove, leading up to the dramatic moment when spinach puree is added, and the risotto turns a vibrant green. For Easter celebrations, Mother’s Day, and springtime al fresco dinners, it’s easy to fall in love with Portuguese Green Risotto.
Christy Rost is a cookbook author, host of Celebrating Home cooking videos, and longtime resident of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Her ‘At Home with Christy Rost’ cooking series for Eat This TV Network airs on AmazonFire, AppleTV+, Roku, Samsung TV, and YouTube. Please visit christyrost.com for details and recipes.
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