Easy Vegetable Risotto Recipe

Risottos make great vegetarian meals, and are very versatile. You can include any vegetables you like once you know the basic recipe for cooking the rice. This tried and tested recipe tastes delicious, whilst avoiding the gradual addition of stock often insisted upon by other recipes.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 150 g (5.3 oz) of Arborio Rice
• 540 ml vegetable stock (homemade or made with a stock cube)
• Rapeseed or Olive oil for frying
• Either of the following vegetables (on their own or in combination) : onions, shallots, leeks, peas, mushroom, aubergine, carrot, parsnip, green beans, sweetcorn, peppers, courgette, tomatoes.

Instructions

1. In a large non-stick saucepan, sauté pan or wok, heat a small amount of oil.
2. Fry your choice of diced vegetables for 8 mins.
3. Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes, whilst stirring continuously.
4. Add all the vegetable stock.
5. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes.
6. Once all the water has been absorbed, the risotto is ready to serve.

Tips

• For additional flavour, stir through some freshly chopped herbs just before serving.
• Can be topped with grated cheese before serving.
• Roasted butternut squash and roasted onion work very well in risottos. If using these, roast separately and stir into the risotto just before serving.
• It's handy to keep dried mushrooms in your storecupboard for an unplanned risotto. Once these have been soaked (to rehydrate) you can use the resulting liquid as a stock to add additional flavour.
• Frozen peas, sweetcorn and diced carrots also work well in a risotto and will cook in the stock as the rice is cooking.