Make Spring Onion Risotto

Spring and Autumn are my favorite seasons, not just for the milder weather, but for the abundance of delicious ingredients that are best during these seasons. Spring onions are among my favorites this time of year because they are tender, juicy and sweet. Unlike most onions you buy at the store, which are covered in papery layers of golden skin, spring onions have not been cured, leaving them a pristine white color (often with the greens still attached) with little to no skin. Because they haven't been cured, they don't have a very long shelf-life, which is why they usually only show up at farmers markets for a few weeks in spring.

These uncured onions not only contain a lot more moisture, they also tend to be sweeter and less spicy, making them great for salads and minimally cooked preparations. For this risotto I saute about half of the onions from the beginning, but the bulk of the onions go in towards the end, which retains their crisp texture and sweet taste. It's finished off at the end with another one of my spring favorites: fava beans!

Because it's made with a vegetable stock, this risotto is pretty light, but the cheese added in at the end adds just enough richness and umami to make it interesting.