Wednesday 7 August 2013

Family Food - Summer Risotto

This recipe is sublime. And I'm not even exaggerating!

Also, risotto is easy.

Yes, you will need to stand at the hob for about 30-40 minutes or so - but that's what cbeebies was invented for. And Classic FM. And grannies, who may expect some risotto in payment for their short babysitting stint, if that's what it's come to.

Ingredients
Serves 2 1/2 as a main

350g arborio rice
Tablespoon rapeseed or olive oil
Knob of butter
One onion - finely chopped
One large clove of garlic, pressed
1200 ml very hot vegetable stock
2 rashers bacon
Lettuce - about half a head roughly shredded
Cup of frozen petit pois
Herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon mint sauce, or some chopped fresh garden mint
75g Philadelphia

Method

  1. Heat oil and butter in a wok or large heavy bottomed frying pan.
  2. When hot, add onion, bacon and garlic - fry until onion beginning to go transparent NOT BROWN.
  3. Add rice. Stir until every grain is coated, and beginning to go transparent too.
  4. Add a ladle of hot stock. Stir until it's absorbed.
  5. Repeat this step until you're left with about a ladle or 2 of stock and the rice tastes just a little chewy.
  6. Add mint, herbs, lettuce and peas. It will look like far too much lettuce, but it wilts down to nothing. You'll see!
  7. After 10 minutes, stir in Philly, and some black pepper.
  8. Serve.