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Rice and pea with mozzarella fritters
Serves 6 + wheat free + gluten free (without fritters)

Every good risotto requires a good stock to begin with. If you take the trouble to make this stock you will create the perfect risotto -I promise. I am using the restaurant method of pre cooking the risotto and then reheating it with extra flavourings when it is required to serve it.


Brown stock
50ml
(2floz) olive oil
2 leeks
1 large onion
2 stix of celery
2 small carrots
mixed herbs
i.e. rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage, fresh if possible.
3 cloves garlic
1 glass of red wine
1 450g
(1lb) tin tomatoes
Handful dried porcini mushrooms
2 dessertspoons Swiss vegetable bouillon
1200ml
(2˝ pints) water
Dark soy sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and start to sauté the leeks, onion, celery, carrots, garlic and herbs. Do this very slowly and for about one hour stirring regularly. The idea is to slowly caramelise the vegetables and develop as much flavour as possible. Take your time and the end result is worth it. After an hour add the red wine and reduce most of the liquid out. Then one by one add the remaining ingredients except the soy sauce. Simmer slowly uncovered for one and a half hours. The stock will slowly concentrate and extract the flavours from it's constituents.

Pass the stock through a sieve and then it is ready to use. This stock keeps very well in the fridge and freezes for weeks so it's probably best to make a double or triple batch and save some for future use. It takes more or less the same time to prepare no matter how much you make.
For the pre cooked risotto
A little butter
1 small onion
500g risotto rice
brown stock




For serving the risotto
A little butter
Handful of fresh basil
200g frozen or fresh peas
Chopped sun dried tomatoes
(optional)
Salt and black pepper
To pre cook the risotto heat the butter in a large pan and sauté the chopped onion until soft. Add the risotto rice and cook it in the butter for a couple of minutes. Add some stock and cook it stirring regularly as the stock is absorbed. Add some more stock and cook it until it has been absorbed into the rice. Keep adding the stock in small amounts in this way until the rice is just undercooked. It should be just slightly hard to the teeth but still chewable. Take of the heat and cool.


To cook the rice for serving place the butter in a large pan and add all of the ingredients. Add a little more of the stock and heat it through. Season with the salt and black pepper and serve. When it is plated up drizzle over a little more of the stock to make it look loose, and moist. Sprinkle with veggie parmesan.

I have served the dish with mozzarella fritters but this is an optional extra. If you want to use them just dip stix of mozzarella in flour, then an egg / milk mixture, then breadcrumbs and allow them to dry a little. Deep fry to order.