Spring Garden Risotto Primavera

⏱ 45 min · Serves 4

Creamy carnaroli rice studded with sweet peas, asparagus and courgette, finished with lemon zest and a shower of Parmesan. It tastes like the first warm day of the year, and it comes together in one pan while you sip the leftover wine.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 20.0g protein · 75.0g carbs · 24.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.2 litres vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 30g butter, plus 25g to finish
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 300g carnaroli or arborio rice
• 125ml dry white wine
• 200g asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 small courgette, diced
• 150g frozen peas
• 100g green beans, cut into 2cm lengths (optional)
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 70g Parmesan (or vegetarian hard cheese), finely grated
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer in a saucepan and keep it hot over a low heat.
2. Drop the asparagus, green beans and peas into the stock for 2 minutes, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the stock simmering.
3. In a wide heavy pan, heat the olive oil and 30g butter. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes until soft but not coloured, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the rice and toast for 2 minutes until the grains look glassy at the edges.
5. Pour in the wine and stir until it has almost fully absorbed.
6. Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir often, letting each addition absorb before adding the next. Continue for 16-18 minutes until the rice is tender with a slight bite.
7. Halfway through, stir in the diced courgette so it softens into the rice.
8. Add the reserved blanched vegetables with a final splash of stock and warm through for 2 minutes. The risotto should be loose and flowing, not stiff.
9. Take off the heat. Beat in the remaining 25g butter, the Parmesan, lemon zest and a squeeze of juice. Season to taste.
10. Cover and rest for 2 minutes, then stir through the mint and basil and serve at once in warm bowls with extra cheese and black pepper.