Risotto

This is our first recipe for you, a very tasteful risotto. Once you master the basic principles of risotto you can easily vary the outcome by simply changing a few ingredients, for example the meats, vegetables or herbs to suit what you have to use.  This gives a great meal in about 40 minutes. The recipe we have used here has a good balance of ingredients resulting in a creamy, mild and satisfying herby risotto.

Ingredients-Serves 4

1 Onion

2 Sticks Celery

Our Risotto

2 Carrots

2 tbsp Olive Oil

4 Rashers Back Bacon or 50g Pancetta

60g Chorizo, thinly sliced

250g Arborio Rice

2 cloves Garlic

Approx 1lt Chicken Stock

40g Peas 

40g Broad Beans

20g Button Mushrooms

30g Butter

40g Grated Parmesan

A good bunch chopped fresh herbs

Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Weigh out frozen items, peas, broad beans and prawns place in separate containers.

2. Chop onion, carrot and celery into small dice. Peel and slice garlic thinly, slice mushrooms. Place into separate containers ready to use.

3. Peel chorizo and slice. Cut bacon into small pieces.

4. Heat oil in a deep pan, add chopped onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Allow to cook gently for 2 minutes, do not colour.

5. Add bacon and allow to cook until pink and sealed. Add chorizo cook for 1 minute.

6. Add the rice, cook for about 2 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon, until the rice becomes  opaque, do not allow vegetables or rice to colour.

7. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute to soften. Add enough stock to just cover rice, bring to boil and turn down to simmer.

8. Simmer gently and cook until stock is absorbed, add more stock to just cover rice again. Stir continuously. Repeat as needed until the rice expands and you have a glossy, sticky sauce and the rice has lost its chalky texture.

9. Add your broad beans cook for 1 minute, add peas and prawns and cook out for 2 minutes. 

10. Check that the rice has become tender and a sticky sauce is in evidence.

11. Put pan to one side, add the butter, herbs and Parmesan, allow to melt and stir into risotto. Check seasoning add salt and pepper if required.

12. Serve on warm plates and enjoy.