Mushroom & Pea Risotto

• 2garlic cloves, minced
• 150 garborio rice
• 250 gchestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 100 gfrozen peas
• 1onion, finely diced
• 3sprigs thyme, leaves picked
• 600 mlhot vegetable stock
• 50 mldry white wine
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 20 gbutter
• 30 gvegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated
• 15 gbasil leaves, torn
• Fine salt, to taste
• 1small ciabatta (optional)
• 100 gmixed leaf salad (optional)
• 100 grocket (optional)
• 1 tbspolive oil, for the optional salad (optional)
• 1 tbsplemon juice, for the optional salad (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Fry the onion with a good pinch of salt for 3 minutes, until softened and translucent but not coloured; the salt now draws the moisture out and stops the onion catching.
2. 2Turn the heat up and add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer. Don't crowd the pan; if they're piled up they steam and go grey. Leave them undisturbed for 2 minutes to take colour, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until golden at the edges and any liquid has cooked away.
3. 3Stir in the garlic and thyme leaves and cook for just 30 seconds, until fragrant and pale gold.
4. 4Tip in the arborio rice and toast for 1 minute, stirring so every grain is slicked in the buttery oil and the edges turn translucent. Pour in the splash of white wine and let it bubble hard until almost gone; you want the sharpness cooked out but the acid left behind.
5. 5Now the slow build: add the hot stock a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until each addition is almost absorbed before the next. Keep going for 16–18 minutes, until the rice is creamy on the outside with a gentle bite at the core. Stir the frozen peas through for the final 3–4 minutes, or as directed on the packet, so they stay bright.
6. 6Pull the pan off the heat. Beat in the 25 g of the vegetarian hard cheese and the remaining cold butter; off the heat is the trick, it emulsifies into a glossy sauce instead of splitting. The risotto should ripple when you shake the pan; if it sits in a stiff mound, loosen it with a final splash of hot water if all the stock has been used. Taste, season with salt and plenty of black pepper, then taste again.
7. 7Spoon into warm bowls and scatter over the torn basil and reserved 5 g cheese. Serve with the optional ciabatta and mixed leaves or rocket if using; dress the optional salad with its listed oil and lemon juice.

Per serving

kcal

618

protein

20.4g

fibre

6.3g

carbs

83.9g

fat

20.3g