As a gluten-free girl, potatoes and risotto rice feature every week in my Ocado order.
They’re cheap, versatile, satiating, and energising.
Inspired by the abundance of wild garlic everywhere and a fridge & freezer full of green veggies, this was last night’s dinner (accompanied by a simple side salad of watercress, avocado and marinated artichokes). If you haven't had your daily servings of greens and garlic, tickle your tastebuds with this....
Risotto ingredients:
100g / 1 large leek, peeled, halved and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
150g arborio risotto rice
75ml white wine
1 Kallo organic vegetable stock cube or Cook with M&S vegetable stock
120g frozen green peas
120g courgettes, cut into slices and then quartered
120g M&S frozen baby broad beans
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Wild garlic pesto ingredients:
50g Parmesan or alternative non-dairy cheese (e.g. Violife), finely grated
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
25g wild garlic and 100g as spinach
15g fresh basil
50g pine nuts, or other nuts, toasted first if you like
100ml – 150ml extra virgin olive oil, depending upon how thick or thin you want your pesto
½ lemon, juice only
A grind of sea salt
A grind of freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and gently cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
2. Then add the rice, mix with the leeks and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the wine and bring to the boil. When it boils, lower the heat and add enough stock to just cover the rice. Once the fluid has been absorbed, stir and add more stock to cover the rice.
4. After approximately 15 minutes, add the peas, broad beans and courgette and combine with the rice. Continue to add sufficient stock to cover the rice & veg. Allow to cook on a low heat, stirring every 5 minutes or so (& topping up with stock if necessary). When the rice looks cooked, stir in the chopped parsley, and season with sea salt & freshly ground pepper.
5. To make the pesto, rinse and roughly chop the wild garlic leaves.
6. Blitz the wild garlic leaves, parmesan, garlic, lemon zest and pine nuts to a rough paste in a food processor. Season, and with the motor running slowly, add almost all the oil. Taste, season and add a few squeezes of lemon juice.
7. Serve your risotto with a good-sized topping of pesto (& stir through to provide lots of flavour to your rice).
NB: You can transfer any remaining pesto to a clean jar. It will keep in the fridge for two weeks.