Fresh Pea And Mint Risotto
Ingredients
For the risotto:
- 100g Arborio rice (use top quality like Carnroli or Nano)
- 25g white onion, finely diced
- 20g coconut oil
- 125g fresh garden peas
- 40g fresh garden peas, pureed
- 350ml vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 mint sprig
- Pea shoots
For the mint oil:
- 1 bunch of mint
- 400ml extra virgin olive oil
Cooking instructions
Makes 2 generous servings
For the mint oil:
- Wash the bunch of mint and pat dry. Strip the leaves from the stalks and lay out onto an oven tray. Heat at around 80°C for 2-3 hours to dry out the leaves.
- Add the mint leaves and olive oil to a saucepan. On a very low heat, warm the olive oil for 1 hour until the oil is green.
- Blitz the oil in a blender and pass through muslin or very fine sieve.
- You will then have a beautiful clear mint oil, which you can drizzle around the risotto.
For the risotto:
- Add the coconut oil to a saucepan pan and sweat the onions on a medium-low heat until tender and translucent. Do not allow to colour or brown.
- Add the Arborio rice to the onion and stir to coat the grains in oil.
- Add half of the stock to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Ensure it retains a constant heat and gently stir as it cooks – it should take around 20 minutes. As the rice absorbs the water and begins to swell, add the remaining liquid gradually as it is absorbed. Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, in a blender, add 40g of the fresh garden peas with a splash of water and pulse into a puree.
- When the rice is tender, add the mint sprig. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the pea puree, and fresh peas. Mix through, remove the mint sprig and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve into a bowl and dress with pea shoots, and a drizzle of mint oil.