I love making risotto is many ways. This broccoli version is out of this world delicious! The pesto adds amazing flavor and depth to the dish. Broccoli and pesto are a marriage made in heaven.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Salt it generously, add the broccoli and boil into fork tender. Save a ladle of cooking water. Drain and add broccoli to a bowl. Add some cooking water and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Adding more water as needed. Set Aside.
Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, add garlic clove and salt. Mash or pulse together. Add walnuts and mash or pulse together. Add basil and mash or pulse together until a paste forms. Add extra virgin olive oil until desired consistency has been reached.
In a small pot bring 6 cups of chicken broth to a low simmer.
Into a saute pan on medium heat, add olive oil, 1 tbsp of butter and onion. Saute until translucent. Add arborio rice and toast in the pan for few mins. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Once alcohol has evaporated, add a ladle at a time of warm chicken broth and stirring constantly. Continue adding chicken broth until the rice has reached your desired tenderness.
Add in the broccoli puree and stir to combine, allowing the puree to warm through in the risotto. Turn the flame off.
Add in 1 tbsp of butter, parmigiana reggiano and pesto. Stir to combine all the flavors and melt the butter.
Serve with grated parmigiana reggiano on top and enjoy!