Clodagh's taste of summer - broad bean risotto 🌱

Thursday 9 June at 12:46pm

It’s full of delicious fresh produce that can also be made using frozen ingredients. Clodagh’s back in the kitchen to share one of her favourite summer showstoppers, a delicious creamy broadbean, lemon & mint risotto with rocket pesto.

Creamy broad bean, lemon and mint risotto with rocket pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients

50g butter

2 shallots, very finely chopped

1 large leek, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

300g risotto rice

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

100ml dry white wine600ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

400g broad beans

1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

2 tbsps crème Fraiche

50g fresh parmesan cheese sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the rocket pesto

125g fresh rocket leaves

175ml extra virgin olive oil

50g toasted pine nuts

50g freshly grated parmesan

1 cloves of garlic, crushed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Place a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat and add the butter, followed by the shallots, leeks and garlic, cover and lower the heat to allow the shallots to soften (but not brown), this will take about three minutes. Then stir in the rice and stir for a couple of minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Pour the white wine, stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate, this should take around three minutes. Slowly pour in the hot stock, ladle by ladle until all the stock is absorbed, stirring all the time. It should take between 15 to 20 minutes for the rice to cook. For the last 5 minutes, add the broad beans and stir through to cook, then followed by the lemon juice and zest at the last minute.

3. Make the rocket pesto by placing all the ingredients in a food processor, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Blend until you reach a smooth consistency.

4. About 5 minutes before the rice is cooked, stir in the broad beans and fresh mint and about 1 minute before you serve the risotto stir in the crème fraiche and grated parmesan cheese.

5. Serve each bowl of risotto with a drizzle of the rocket pesto on top.