Life's really busy this week but in between school performances, special assemblies and my 1 year old continually emptying my kitchen cupboards I managed to make this really interesting risotto. My husband loved it and has been pestering me to post it so he can share the recipe with his friends.
I must say I've come a long way with making risotto. I was quite scared of it when I first started to make it. I would just buy a pre-mixed simmer sauce but there really is no need for that. It's so simple as long as you have good, fresh ingredients.
I often don't have time to make my own stock but I'm hoping to make a large batch to freeze very soon. I use stock at least 5 times a week now so I'm sure we would all benefit from home-made. Just on the subject of stock, as we've recently become vegetarian many gravies and sauces are no longer edible for us so I tried making a gravy this week, basically like a bechamel sauce but with stock and it was awsome. Now the good old Chips 'n' gravy can be back on our sometimes menue.
Here's what I used- 1 Tablespoon butter, 1 Tablespoon flour, 1 cup vegetable stock. Just melt butter, add flour, cook for one minute then slowly add stock while stirring until thick. So simple but wonderful.
So here's the risotto-
( I didn't take a photo so you'll have to use your imagination)
LEMON, THYME AND VODKA RISOTTO
125g butter
6 shallots or spring onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150ml dry white wine
grated zest of 1 large lemon and juice of 1 lemon
500g aborio rice
1.5Liters hot vegetable stock (you can use chicken if you're not veggo)
2 Tablespoons vodka
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
75g grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
I also added 1 cup baby spinach and 1 can chickpeas, rinsed. You don't have to add these but I like to use any opportunity to get extra nutrition.
Melt half the butter in a large heavy based saucepan, add garlic and spring onions, saute for 5 mins.Add wine and half lemon zest, bring to boil, stirring and cook until almost all liquid has evapourated.
Add rice and stir well to coat grains with butter. Add hot stock, one ladel at a time stirring until each addition is absorbed. This can take a while, about 20minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach and chick peas. Stand for 2 mins. Stir in remaining butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, parmesan, vodka and thyme.
Cover and stand for another few minutes.
I generally add a little more parmesan to serve but you don't have to.
Believe it or not my husband doesn't like parmesan.
Must run now. Enjoy!
2 comments:
Hey Lilly,
The rice seems delic! Just thought I'd let you know that when you're making the gravy, well I always add 1 carrot and 1 onion (or boil a carrot and onion and use the juice from this for your liquid). Carrot adds a bit of sweetness and onion gives a great flavour..a good combination for tastiness to the gravy.......
Hillary.......(I sit next to Matt at work!!!)
Cool, thanks for the tip.
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