this shit rocks no. 62: creamy risotto with 'everything must go' green sauce!

Plus, some fun excursions to Beverly Hills.

I have lived in LA for nearly 2 years (!!), and I have spent approximately no time in Beverly Hills. However, in the last week I have gone TWICE and both were noteworthy occasions.

My first jaunt over to BH was with my friend, Brittany, and she took me to the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills. It was a euphoric experience. I think we may have tried at least 40 different cheeses, as well as cured meats, olives, and caviar, in the span of an hour. If you are in LA, I’d highly recommend you pay this cozy little store a visit. I left with a couple different cheeses (one of which is a 30 month aged comté that brings a single tear to my eye every time I have a nibble) and this exquisite tarragon mustard.

My BH era doesn’t end there. THEN, I ventured back just a few days later because I got a facial by the one and only, Eve, at the dermatology office where she works. I haven’t had a legit facial (as in, microdermabrasion, extractions, peels—the whole thing), in a long time and I feel brand freaking new. Again, if you’re in LA, I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you to Beverly Hills for bringing gourmet cheese to my fridge, artisanal mustard to my pantry, and a fresh new glow to my pores. Next up, lip fillers! Just kidding… 😘💋

Creamy Risotto with ‘Everything Must Go’ Green Sauce

Serves: 4-6

Active time: 35 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

This week’s recipe came to be because I had two massive containers of fresh basil and fresh mint that needed to be used before I head out of town next week. The easiest and most efficient way to use up any random herbs or greens that you have is to blanch them (so that they keep their green color), shock them, and blend them into a sauce.

Risotto has a reputation of being complicated, time-consuming, and fussy, but I genuinely think it is easier than cooking of pot of rice (which for the record, is hard). If cooking risotto takes you any longer than 15 minutes (from the time the rice hits the pan to when it’s done), then your heat isn’t high enough.

For this recipe in particular, I would implore you to rely more heavily on your culinary senses than the liquid measurements I’ve listed (I believe in you!!). Use enough water in the green sauce so that it’s easy to pour and silky. Use enough warmed broth or water in the risotto so that it’s creamy but not soupy. If you want a runnier risotto, then add more liquid. As the risotto sits, it will absorb more liquid, so I usually err on the side of more liquid, knowing that will slightly seize.

If you want to save a little of your ‘Everything Must Go’ green sauce, it’s delicious in pasta and salads or on toasts and eggs. You can also freeze it in an ice tray to add a cube of herbaceous-ness to all your future dishes.