Recipes

Arborio rice cooked with leek, green beans, courgette, peas, asparagus and fresh summer herbs; garnished with Parmesan cheese. Delicious served hot, or eaten cold as a rice salad.

340 kcal and 11.9g fat per portion
No of servings 2
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes
Total time: 60-65 minutes

Ingredients:

• 600ml hot vegetable stock made with 1 cube
• 6 saffron strands (optional)
• 15ml olive oil
• 1 medium leek (125g), trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 stick celery, chopped
• 100g risotto rice i.e. Arborio
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 50g fine green beans, trimmed and cut in half lengthways
• 50g fresh peas
• 1 medium courgette, diced
• 90g asparagus spears, chopped into 2cm lengths
• 4 x 15ml tbsp freshly chopped herbs i.e. parsley, chives, tarragon
• 25g Parmesan cheese shavings
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• 1. Infuse the saffron strands in the hot stock for a few minutes whist preparing the vegetables
• 2. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the leek and celery for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured, then add the garlic and the rice and continue to cook for 1 minute until the grains become transparent and glossy.
• 3. Now add half the stock, a ladleful at a time to the rice, stirring with each addition until the stock is absorbed.
• 4. Add the vegetable to the rice and continue to stir in ladlefuls of the remaining hot stock. Once all the stock has been absorbed the rice and vegetables will be tender.
• 5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the freshly chopped herbs and season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
• 6. Divide between two warm bowls and sprinkle on shavings of Parmesan. Serve ‘pronto!’.

Storage:

Cool, cover and refrigerate for 2 days. The rice may go a little clumpy so use a fork to loosen. If eating cold, dress with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Category of food:

Main meal: dinner / lunch

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