Spring Veg Risotto
Winter is is on its way out and the sun is starting to show its face. Embrace the start of spring weather iwith this gorgeous decadent risotto which celebrates fresh green spring veg.
I always thought risotto was one of those dishes that was far too difficult to attempt at home, but please don’t fall for that idea. It definelty isn’t a throw it together weeknight meal, as it does take care and attention but that doesn’t always equal difficult. This is an easy recipe that just takes some time and patience, slow and steady wins the race when it comes to risotto. This is, and should be, a meal made with a glass of wine hand.
Texture is so important in risotto you don’t want to overcook it or it will be a bowl of mush, but undercook it and you get chalky hard rice. Start tasting the rice with a few minutes left on the timer and stop cooking when the texture is good for you (even if you have time/stock left). The creaminess of the risotto comes from the stirring and letting the stock absorb gradually, don’t try to skip this by throwing in all stock and hoping for the best, it might seem a bit much but it is a vital step.
The knack to making a great tasting risotto is using a good quality stock, either home made or store bought is fine, or just improve the humble stock cube, chucking in a few extra things can really make the difference. I have a bag in the freezer that I put some leftover veg in, fresh herb stems and parmesan rinds, that are great additions to stock, throw in some peppercorns and dried mushrooms and you’ll be shocked at the difference.
Ingredients
1/2 onion finely diced
2 garlic cloves
100g tenderstem broccoli, chopped to bite size pieces, some left whole
100g green beans, chopped to bite size pieces
700ml stock (ingredients to spice up stock e.g black peppercorns, leftover veg, leftover herb stems, dried mushrooms)
175g risotto rice
40g butter
60ml dry white wine
70g peas
60g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
Method
Fry the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of oil and half the butter for 5 minutes over a low heat, stirring often, until soft and translucent.
Increase to a medium heat and add the rice to the pan, toast for a few minutes stirring often, add the wine and cook for another two minutes
In a separate pan boil the tenderstem broccoli and beans until just cooked, drain then season with salt and pepper.
Set a timer for 20 minutes, add one and a half ladles of stock to the rice, simmer and stir continuously, scraping all rice from the sides. Once absorbed add another ladle of stock and stir continuously, repeat this until 5 minutes remain on the timer.
Add the frozen peas to the risotto mixture along with the chopped green beans and broccoli (leave the whole pieces to the side to top the dish with). Continue with adding the stock and stirring until the timer is up. Test the rice, it should be soft but still hold its shape with a little bite to it
Take the pan off the heat, add half the parmesan and the rest of the butter along with a small dash of stock. Put a lid on the pan and leave to rest for 3 minutes.
Serve and top with the whole broccoli and remaining parmesan