Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

Risotto Primavera with Macadamias
 

This well balanced risotto has plenty of colour and plenty of flavour too.

Serves: 4-6

What you'll need
3 pints boiling chicken stock
2 bunches thin asparagus, trimmed of woody ends and cut in 2.5cm (1 inch) lengths
300g young peas in pods, shelled or 200g frozen baby peas
2 tablespoons macadamia nut oil / olive oil
60g unsalted butter
250g button mushrooms, finely sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
350g arborio rice
75g roasted macadamia halves
6-8 sun dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
Freshly grated parmesan, for serving

What to do
1. Bring chicken stock to the boil. Throw in the asparagus pieces and peas and cook for 2-3 minutes. Strain and return the stock to the saucepan. Reserve vegetables. Bring stock back to simmering point.

2. Heat oil in a large pan. Add half the butter and when melted sauté the mushrooms. When soft, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

3. Add remaining butter, onion and garlic to the pan, stir until softened. Add rice. Keep stirring over low heat until all grains are coated with butter and oil.

4.Turn up the heat and add stock - a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently to ensure rice absorbs stock each time. This will take 20-25 minutes. The rice should be soft, creamy and ‘al dente’.

5.Fold through the vegetables. Stir in the macadamias and sun dried tomatoes and season to taste. Serve immediately accompanied by a bowl of freshly grated parmesan.