Courgette, lemon and mascarpone risotto
A great way to add to your fruit and veg quota for the day, James Tanner's dish is packed full of good stuff - and you can add even more if you like, as pretty much any veggies will go with this! If you can't get hold of mascarpone cream cheese will make a suitable substitute.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
300g arborio risotto rice180g frozen garden peas,100g shelled broad beans1 large courgette, cut into 3 cm thick slices150g mascarpone170ml dry white wine1 1/2 pint of hot vegetable stock1 finely chopped onion2 cloves of garlic2 tbsp vegetable oil1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)1 rocketZest of 1 lemon1 x tbsp shredded mint60g shaved parmesan (or goat's cheese or a vegetarian hard cheese)
Method:
Heat a nonstick pan on the hob, add a splash of vegetable oil and sauté the garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains all over. NB you must use risotto rice for this recipe!
Next add the white wine and simmer for around 3 minutes until it reduces by half, then slowly add a pint’s worth of the hot stock a little at a time and cook gradually. The rice needs to be just cooked through, this will take around 12 minutes,
Whilst the rice is cooking heat a griddle pan or nonstick frying pan, oil the courgette and roast for around three minutes turning the slices until slightly coloured and softened.
Set up a blender and spoon in a ladle amount of the hot vegetable stock, add half of the frozen peas, then blitz together and finally pass this mixture through a fine sieve. Add this to the cooked rice in the frying pan and stir.
To this mixture add the mascarpone, broad beans, mint, lemon zest and the remaining whole frozen peas and cook for a further minute. Loosen the mixture with any remaining hot stock, season to taste and spoon into warm serving bowls.
Take the roasted courgette slices and scatter over the risotto, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (optional) and finish with rocket and shaved parmesan cheese or crumbled goats cheese as an alternative.
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