Pea & Mint Risotto

50g butter

1 onion (use white onion or spring onion) chopped finely

300g frozen peas

1.7 litres hot vegetable stock

350g risotto rice

200ml white wine

25g Parmesan

Handful of fresh mint, finely chopped

Pea shoots (from salad counter) – optional – for decoration or decorate with fresh mint leaves      



      

1.   Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and gently sweat for about 10 mins until really soft.  Don’t let it colour.

2.   Meanwhile, put 100g peas into NutriBullet/processor with a ladleful of the veg stock and whizz until completely puréed.  Set aside.

3.   Stir the rice into the onion, increase heat to medium and sizzle the rice for 1 min. Pour in the wine, then bubble and stir until the wine is completely absorbed. Continue cooking like this, adding a ladleful of stock at a time, and stirring continuously until the rice is tender and has a good creamy consistency – this will take 20-30 mins. Only add one ladle at a time (use small cup if no ladle) and wait until liquid is absorbed each time.

4.   Stir in the puréed peas, remaining peas, chopped mint, Parmesan and some seasoning, then turn off the heat and leave to stand for a few mins.

5.   Give the risotto a final stir, spoon into shallow bowls and top with some pea shoots and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

You can dress this up by adding:

Prawns - Melt butter/oil in with garlic clove and sauté raw prawns from grey to just pink.  Then stir into risotto

 And / or:

Asparagus – poach or sauté for 2-3 mins and then cut up and stir into risotto.