Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time about 30 minutes
1.5 litres (2½ pints) vegetable stock
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
350 g (11½ oz) risotto rice
200 ml (7 fl oz) white wine
200 g (7 oz) frozen peas, thawed
100 g (3½ oz) frozen broad beans, thawed and peeled
50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
handful of flat leaf parsley,roughly chopped
salt and pepper
Pour the stock into a saucepan and heat until just simmering. Keep hot.
Melt the butter with the oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook gently for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute until the garlic is opaque. Stir in the rice and continue stirring for a couple of minutes until the grains are coated with the butter mixture. Pour in the wine and cook rapidly, stirring, until the alcohol has evaporated.
Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until each addition has been absorbed before adding the next. Continue until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy and cooked, but still retains a little bite – this will take around 15 minutes. (Be careful not to overcook.)
Add the peas and broad beans and heat through for 3–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
For Italian-style risotto balls, leave the risotto to cool, then chill overnight in the refrigerator. Form the chilled mixture into walnut-sized balls. Whisk together 2 eggs in a shallow bowl. Roll the rice balls through the egg, then in 100 g (3½ oz) dried breadcrumbs to coat. Fill a deep heavy-based saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat to 180°–190°C (350°–375°F), or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Add the rice balls, in batches, and cook for 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and serve.