After my month of risotto cooking I felt like I just had to get back to basics and cook a good old fashioned risotto but with my own little veghotpot twist! I loved the colours of Delia’s risotto and the subtlty of Jamie’s risotto so I tried to incorporate both of these factors into my recipe.
I think I’m having a bit of a vegan week because I decided to not add any cheese as it really didn’t need it for the flavour! I wanted it to be fresh and light rather than too rich. Also I wanted to show that you can have a very decadent and elegant meal without the added wine and cheese which is often found in risottos!
I used fresh herbs to flavour my risotto, by adding them in at different times you get a real combination of flavours and textures. Once cooked I garnished it with further fresh herbs and some cress (a poor mans pea shoots I decided since I have no idea where you can buy pea shoots!) to give it a kind of summery garden feel with the deliciously silky risotto underneath.
As you can see in the above picture I started tucking in whilst taking the pictures (Straight out the pan) … for creative purposes only, to show the under layer of risotto…and I can confirm that is was very moreish! Luckily I caught Scott watching me digging in and quickly put some in tupperware for another day 🙂
Serves 2 as a main meal
1 Stick Celery
1 Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
150g Risotto Rice
500ml Vegetable Stock
Small Bunch Mint
Small Bunch Dill
Small Bunch Chives
100g Frozen Peas
1 Lemon
Handful of Cress
spray oil (for frying)
Good quality Olive oil for drizzling if desired
In a deep frying pan fry the sliced celery, onion and crushed garlic in some spray oil, on a medium-low heat for 5 minutes untill softened. If the onions start to colour add a splash of water to bring the temperature of the pan down and keep them cooking slowly. Add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes stirring constantly.
Then add the thinly sliced mint, some black pepper and 2 ladels of stock. Once the stock has evaporated add another ladel of stock and keep stirring the risotto. Keep adding the stock one ladel at a time and waiting for it to have evaporated before adding another ladel.
Half way though the cooking time (half way though your stock) add the chopped dill and chives and stir them into the rice. Keep the process of adding the stock going and when you are down to one or two ladels of stock left (or you feel the rice is nearly cooked) then add the peas and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Taste the risotto and season to your own taste.
Take the pan off the heat and garnish the top with extra chives, dill and the cress.
Serve with Lemon Wedges
Post submitted to the Weekend Herb Blogging Feature – please see these links for more details… Cook Almost anything and Weekend Herb Blogging xx
this looks awesome, and so delightfully spring-y! Lovely photo too! Am enjoying your blog and thanks so much for posting on mine!!
Thanks 🙂 your blog is gorgeous Soo many recipes to browse! Xx
This looks AMAZING
Thanks 🙂
Yum, I love risotto especially if it’s vegan! Thanks so much for the recipe, the herbs made it look even more inviting.
Thanks! This was my first vegan risotto but I think it shows that with the right herbs you dont need cheese to add any excitement or flavour!
Oh no rainy! We’ve had a bit of sunshine here so Ive gone a bit summer mad! This could work on a cold day too 🙂 Thanks for commenting xx
Even though it is chilly and rainy this would be good comfort food. And, I like the idea of adding the herbs in batches for different flavor punches.
Looks like a terrific risotto. I have found pea shoots in the produce section of the local Asian supermarket. Great prices on foodstuffs there too.
Hey, thanks! Oo thats a good idea I’ll go have a look there too. I love wondering around Asian Supermarkets they’re fascinating!
I love herb risotto, and as you say no need to add cheese for flavour as there is plenty in your dish!
Thanks! I’ve been piling herbs into everything recently, it’s a much healthier way to flavour meals 🙂
You might not have another risotto for a while, I think! This one is really pretty, great flavours.
I learnt a lot but I think ill practise those new skills some time in the future lol! Although those risotto balls were abit yummy I make those again soon 🙂 x
That looks absolutely delish! Thanks for posting the recipe
Thanks 🙂 I’m quite glad my risotto month is over now! I enjoyed eating it all though lol
Lovely, fresh and summery. Fits the weather we’re having! Gonna dust of my risotto pan methinks…
Yeah I’m glad the weather turned nice in time for this post! Makes it feel abit more appropriate lol x