Recipe for: Mazurian risotto with young carrots and fresh dill

Spicy Kids' Lunches Main dishes 50 min Medium 14 views ~22.80 PLN * - (0)
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Description

Creamy risotto made with short arborio rice, young carrots, and plenty of fresh dill — summer, delicate, and child-friendly. This dish is inspired by the simplicity of Masuria: it uses local, seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs; it has a mild flavor, slightly sweet thanks to the young carrots, and aromatic due to the dill. Serve as a nutritious lunch for children with a bit of soft cheese and a touch of cream; it can also be served with grilled chicken fillets or baked cheese for adults. Visually, the risotto has a creamy texture, orange strips of carrot, and green accents of dill — appetizing and colorful for the little ones.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (14)

Servings:
4
  • Arborio rice 320 g
  • Carrot 5 pcs (~400 g)
  • Onion 1 pcs (~150 g)
  • Garlic 2 clove (~10 g)
  • Butter 50 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Vegetable broth 1000 ml
  • Cheese 80 g
  • 18% cream 100 ml
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Dill 1.5 bunch (~30 g)
  • Salt 0.1 pinch (~4 g)
  • Black pepper 2 pinch (~1 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • White wine 60 g
  • Mascarpone 60 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~22.80 PLN (5.70 PLN/serving)
* Prices missing for some ingredients

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Prepare all the ingredients and utensils. Wash the carrot and its greens if necessary. If the carrot is thin and young, just scrub it well; do not peel it too much, as the skin adds flavor. Cut the carrot into thin slices about 3-4 mm thick or into short sticks 5 mm wide — this will ensure even cooking. Peel the onion and chop it into small cubes (about 5 mm). Peel the garlic and finely chop it or press it through a garlic press.

Ingredients: Carrot, Onion, Garlic
Use a cutting board and a sharp knife. If you don't have a sharp knife, slice the carrot into half-moons and finely chop the onion with a chef's knife. Preparation takes about 8–10 minutes.

Preparing the broth

2

Heat the vegetable broth in a separate pot until hot and keep it on very low heat so that it is just lightly simmering throughout the risotto cooking process. Warm broth is added in batches to the rice — cold broth will halt the starch release process.

Ingredients: Vegetable broth
Use a pot with a capacity of at least 1.5–2 l. Keep the broth gently simmering on the lowest heat next to the pot with the risotto, so you can add it hot.

Risotto

3

In a large, wide saucepan or deep skillet, heat canola oil (2 tablespoons = 30 g) together with half of the butter (25 g) over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent and slightly soft (it should be translucent, not golden brown). Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, until you can smell the aroma.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Butter, Onion, Garlic
Use a wide pot with a diameter of 24–28 cm and a thick bottom. A wooden spoon or silicone spatula will work best. Do not brown the onion too much — for children, the flavor should be mild.
4

Add the chopped carrot to the pan and sauté for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally. The carrot should become slightly soft but still firm and brightly orange — check with a toothpick (it should go in slightly but not fall apart completely).

Ingredients: Carrot
If the carrot starts to brown, reduce the heat. Children prefer a soft but not mushy texture of the carrot.
5

Pour the arborio rice (320 g) into the saucepan and mix it with the vegetables. Sauté for 1.5–2 minutes, stirring, until the edges of the grains become slightly translucent — this is called toasting the rice, which helps to better release the starch during cooking.

Ingredients: Arborio rice, Carrot
Use a wooden spoon to stir the rice so that each grain is coated in fat. Avoid burning — the heat should be medium-low.
6

If you are using wine (optional), pour in 60 ml now and stir until the alcohol evaporates (about 1–2 minutes). If you are not using wine, go straight to adding the broth.

Ingredients: white wine
Wine is optional — for children, you can skip it entirely. The alcohol should evaporate completely; do not leave any raw alcohol.
7

Start adding hot broth one ladle (about 100–130 ml) at a time. After adding each portion, stir slowly and steadily until the liquid is almost completely absorbed (this takes 2–3 minutes). Continue adding and stirring for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is soft with a slight 'bite' in the center (al dente) and the sauce has a creamy, thick consistency. If the broth runs out too quickly, you can add hot water.

Ingredients: Vegetable broth, Arborio rice
Use a ladle to measure the broth and stir regularly — it should not be intense beating, just even stirring in the middle of the pot. The consistency of the risotto on the plate should be loose and creamy, not dry.

Finishing and serving

8

When the rice is almost ready (after 18–20 minutes of the entire process), turn off the heat and add the remaining butter (25 g), grated cheese (80 g), and 18% cream (100 ml). Stir vigorously until the butter and cheese melt, and the risotto becomes silky. Add finely chopped dill (a whole bunch, 30 g) and gently mix. Season with salt (about 4 g) and pepper (1 g) to taste — taste to avoid oversalting for children.

Ingredients: Butter, Cheese, 18% cream, Dill, Salt, Black pepper, Mascarpone
Add cheese and butter after removing from heat to maintain creaminess. If you are using mascarpone instead of part of the cream, add 60 g of mascarpone instead of part of the cream and mix well.

Serving

9

Wait 1–2 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Spoon the risotto onto warm plates, sprinkle with fresh dill and possibly a bit of grated cheese. Serve immediately, risotto tastes best hot and creamy.

Ingredients: Dill, Cheese, Vegetable broth
Use wide shallow plates, the risotto should be slightly runny — if it thickens too much, add 1–2 tablespoons of hot broth before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

The risotto technique comes from northern Italy, but the creamy method of cooking rice can easily be adapted to local products — in Masuria, fresh vegetables and herbs are used, which adds a regional touch.

Best for

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the risotto immediately after preparation, as it tastes best fresh and creamy. For younger children, you can blend some of the carrot before adding it to the rice to make the texture even softer. For adults, serve with grilled chicken breast or trout fillet.

🥡 Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. To reheat: transfer to a skillet, add 2–3 tablespoons of hot broth or water, and heat over low heat, stirring until it regains a creamy consistency. Not recommended for freezing, as it will change the texture.

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