Spring veggie risotto - A recipe by Phil Bartley

Spring is here so that calls for a satisfying dish packed with vibrant, seasonal vegetables and plenty of fragrant herbs.

This spring veggie risotto is the perfect, quick and easy recipe to enjoy any time of the day, offering lots of room for creativity and improvisation with ingredients.

You really can’t go wrong if you stick to the basic formula.

The only thing to keep in mind is that it requires frequent stirring, so you need to stay close to the stove for 25 minutes while it cooks.

This dish is a new addition on Hove Place’s latest spring menu and is supporting The Table Talk Foundation with £2 going straight to charity with every order, so be sure to enjoy it there.

Ingredients:

1 Small onion

6 Cloves garlic

50ml Olive oil

400g Arborio or similar risotto rice

200ml Good quality white wine

1L Cold water

1 Vegetable stock cube or similar

125g Butter

Any veg (for a spring risotto, asparagus, peas, broad beans work well)

200g Hard Parmesan cheese or similar

Bunch of herbs, parsley, thyme, chives

Method:

1. First, mince/ finely dice the onions and garlic whilst preparing a heavy pan on a low heat.

2. Add olive oil, onions and garlic to the pan plus a tiny pinch of salt and fry gently over a low heat until they turn translucent.

3. Next, add the rice and fry with the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes to allow the rice to open up and accept the liquid added in the next few steps.

4. Now turn the heat up to medium/high, add the white wine and cook out for 1-2 mins or until the wine has almost disappeared.

5. Keeping it on a high heat, slowly add your stock one ladle at a time, stirring until absorbed before you add more.

This takes about 8 minutes, by which time the mixture should be slightly sloppy, not dry. Stirring is important as it allows the rice grains to scratch each other releasing the natural starches which allow for a creamy risotto.

6. Continue adding the liquid a little bit at a time until you’re comfortable the rice is cooked; you may need to add a little cold water if necessary to ensure the rice is cooked (the telling sign the rice is cooked when it is just softened and has a nice shiny glaze.)

7. With one-two minutes left, gently stir in the vegetables and herbs, and return to a gentle simmer, adding a little extra stock if needed.

8. Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the butter and cheese.

9. Season to taste.

10. Enjoy!

Note: Please remember a risotto should be nice and loose and fall back on itself when plates, it should not be a stodgy pile.

Phil Bartley is a local chef and also runs The Great British Charcuterie. Phil’s food can be found at Hove Place, The Cricketers, The Cleveland Arms, and others around the city.

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