THE RISOTTO
Start by chopping
everything first. Once you start, you will need all the ingredients to hand, as you will
need to stir the risotto continuously. Also, do not wash the rice.
Blanch the courgettes in boiling water for a couple of minutes, let them
cool a bit, then trim the ends off and cut the courgettes in half lengthways. With a
teaspoon, scrape out the seeds from the middle, and then slice them to form little
crescent shapes
In a large pan, gently
fry the onion and garlic in half the butter.
We need them to be soft, and translucent.
In a separate pan,
bring the Vegetable stock to simmering point. If you haven't already made
some, the recipe is at the end of this page.
Now add the rice
to the onions and stir so the grains are well coated with the oil, which should take a
couple of minutes only.
You can now start
adding the hot stock one ladle at a time, waiting until each ladle full has been absorbed
before adding the next.
As soon as the first
ladle has gone in, add the saffron strands. Stir continuously. It is
important that the stock is hot, otherwise the rice will stop cooking when you add it.
After about 15 minutes
the rice should be almost cooked and the risotto should have a soft, creamy consistency.
Add the courgettes, and warm through. When the rice is ready, take the
pan off the heat and add the white wine, which should cool the risotto
down enough to stop the cooking process. Season to taste with salt and a
little freshly ground black pepper,
Add the rest of the butter
and the parmesan and stir vigorously to incorporate. The risotto should
then look creamy and shiny. Serve, and sprinkle the top with chopped chives
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