This is such a delicious recipe and one I often make for the whole family. It is a summery yet filling dish, full of fresh green veggies and subtle Parmesan saltiness. You could easily add in any leftover fridge vegetables to create new flavours. Just use the basis of the stock, onion and Parmesan and you will find it works well with pretty much everything all year round.
Homemade broth/stock, if you are able to make it, is rich in easily absorbed protein as well as several nutrients that are important for digestive health. Rice is more easily digested than gluten grains so this recipe makes a lovely alternative to pasta.
Broccoli and Pea Risotto
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
- 100g risotto rice
- 500ml warm chicken stock (ideally homemade)
- 60g broccoli
- 60g peas
- 1 garlic clove
- A knob of butter or coconut butter
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp mascarpone (optional)
- 20g parmesan, grated
- Leftover chopped up roast chicken (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a knob of butter in a medium-sized frying pan on a medium heat. Add your onions and soften.
- Once softened, add in your garlic and cook for about 30 seconds and then stir in your uncooked rice, coating the grains in the garlicky butter.
- Next add a ladle of your warm stock (warm stock is more easily absorbed) and watch it gently bubble away, evaporate and absorb into your rice. When your stock has disappeared add in your next ladle. This takes time but doesn't need your full attention so meanwhile you can get on with other things like preparing your broccoli.
- Take some broccoli florets and chop finely. Once nearly all your stock has disappeared and absorbed into the stock, add the broccoli and peas and cook them in the remainder of your stock.
- Add your chopped up chicken pieces (if using).
- Taste the rice and make sure it's cooked through. You want it to be "al dente" which means with a little bite to it. A handy trick is to break a rice grain in half then you should see a tiny fleck of white in the centre (pin head size) which shows it's cooked through but still has a slight bite.
- Next, add your Parmesan and mascarpone. If you don't have mascarpone don't worry too much, it just adds a little more of a silky finish. A tablespoon of cream cheese would work well too.
- Serve warm.
Notes
This freezes brilliantly and is well worth all the stirring! Why not double up your quantities and freeze some for future use? You can add fresh vegetables through the mix when reheating, and if you find it quite thick simply add a splash of water or ideally fresh stock.
This is an amazing recipe. I used veg stock instead to keep vegetarian.
Will definitely be cooking this again!