First

Writing your first post on your first blog can be quite daunting. What do I say, how do I say it, will people laugh and throw stones at me? So, to get over this first hurdle, I thought it apt for a food blog to start with food. And what better place to start than with something I love to eat, love to cook, and love to share. 

Risotto.

A perfect Risotto recipe for Winter is one which bursts with flavour and reminds me of Summer.

Hope you love this one as much as I do.

Ricotta and Lemon Zest Risotto

River Cafe

• 500g frozen peas (River Cafe suggest 1.5kg, but even pea lovers will find this a bit much)
• 4T Fresh ricotta, beat this up a little before hand
• Rind of 2 lemons and juice of one
• 1.5 Litres of chicken stock (I love the Nomu Chicken Fond )
• 2T fresh mint leaves
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 150g Unsalted butter (Seems like a lot, but trust me... it's good)
• Two bunches of Spring Onions Chopped
• 400g Risotto Rice (I usually use the Woolworths or Tastic Risotto Rice, both are equally good)
• 2T Torn basil leaves
• 150ml Of dry white wine
• Finely grated Parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the chicken stock and keep on a low heat.

Boil the peas, the mint and a whole garlic clove together in a pot. Simmer for about 4 minutes and then drain, reserving about 150mls of the water.

Now make the risotto: Melt the butter (leaving out a tablespoon amount for the end), add the spring onion, remaining garlic and gently cook until soft.

Add the rice and stir for about two minutes until the rice is well-coated in butter and is translucent.

Add two ladles of chicken stock and keep stirring the rice, adding chicken stock and repeating until the rice is nearly Al Dente. Be careful it can catch at the bottom of the pan and burn quite quickly.

In a blender, blend the peas, garlic and mint leaves that you have put aside, until it is mostly pureed (I like a few bits of peas not quite mashed up, makes it a little more rustic Italian) and add to the risotto, together with the basil leaves.

Continue to cook the risotto on a low heat and when it is done pour in the wine, ricotta and a nob of butter as well. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

Serve with lots of lemon zest, a few mint or basil leaves and some grated Parmesan on top.

Dinner is served!

I served this up, with a roast chicken, which was delicious! Enjoy!

Recipe - from River Cafe, Cook Book Easy
Image my own.