Easy Peasy Risotto With Chilli Mint Crumbs Recipes

EASY PEASY RISOTTO WITH CHILLI & MINT CRUMBS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins, then add the garlic. Stir in the rice for 1-2 mins, then add the stock, a little at a time, stirring continuously until the rice is nearly cooked and the stock has all been absorbed - this will take about 20 mins. Meanwhile, tip the peas into a colander and run under the hot water tap until defrosted. Drain well, tip into a bowl and roughly mash with a potato masher.
• Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the peas, cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice, then season well.
• Grate the bread on a box grater into chunky crumbs. On the finer side of the grater, grate the chilli. Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan, add the chilli, lemon zest and crumbs and cook for 2 mins until crispy, then add the mint and sprinkle over the risotto before serving.

PEA AND BACON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring broth and water to a simmer in a small saucepan.
• Cook bacon in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain.
• Add garlic to bacon fat in pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat.
• Add 1/4 cup hot broth mixture and simmer briskly, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is just tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, 18 to 22 minutes. (Reserve leftover broth mixture.)
• Add peas and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
• Stir in cheese, butter, zest, and juice. Thin risotto with some of reserved broth mixture if desired and season with salt and pepper. Top with bacon.

LEMON MINT RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine peppers, 6 tablespoons water, and 1/4 cup chicken stock; cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until very soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and puree peppers with liquid in a food processor. Strain through a coarse sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.
• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add asparagus. Cook until bright green and still slightly crunchy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place in an ice bath for several minutes. Drain, and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 4 3/4 cups chicken stock with sprigs of mint, parsley, and rosemary, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and keep stock at a bare simmer.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, fennel, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until very soft but not browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in rice and coriander, and cook, stirring constantly, until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and lemon zest, and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
• Remove herb sprigs from stock with tongs or a slotted spoon. Add salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup of simmering stock to rice, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly all the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be nearly absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy-looking and each grain is tender but still firm in the center. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat, and stir in pepper puree, asparagus, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, all the chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide risotto among six plates, and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon mint. Serve immediately.