Spinach and green pea Risotto

We all know how difficult it is to make a meal to satisfy everyone’s taste buds and dietary requirements. Saturday night was enclosing fast and I had a gluten free friend coming over for dinner. It’s weird saying gluten free friend, but today there are a lot of allergies going around. I’m sure we all have gluten free, diary free and nut free friends. Or maybe all our friends are just a little bit nuts :) I had a few recipes picked out that I could make, but decided on the good old risotto!!

Risotto has always been one of those comfort meals I go to when I want to make something easy, that doesn’t require a lot of ingredients and taste good. Stirring away from you classic chicken and mushroom risotto I decided to create a healthy, meat free version that is equally as filling. You can also always take the leftovers for lunch the next day. It is definitely easy enough to make on a work night. One just has to keep and eye out on their rice and add stock gradually, letting it absorb and repeating the process until the rice is just right. Don’t let it fall apart. It still requires a bit of firmness.

 

The decision to use green peas and spinach was simple enough; they are in season right now. It’s worth checking what produce is in season and you will always get the best results.

  

Spinach and green pea risotto

 

Prep: aprox. 10 mins
Cooking time: aprox. 40 mins
Serves: 3 (2 for dinner and 1 left over for you)

INGREDIENTS:

1 brown onion, finely diced
1 cup Arborio rice
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
200 ml white wine (any will do)
400 g green peas (blanched)
3 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
Black pepper
Shredded Parmesan to serve

METHOD

1. I like to start this recipe off by chopping up my onion, adding it to a large, hot pan with some olive oil and let it soften over medium heat.

 

 

 

2. While the onion is doing its thing on the pan, grab your blender. Add 2 large handfuls of the baby spinach leaves and all of the peas and blend until smooth. (Remember to leave 1 large handful of the baby spinach leaves to use later in the recipe.) Put the blended vegetables aside.

 

 

3. By now your onion should be soft. Add the rice and stir through for 1 minute.
4. Add the wine and let it simmer until it evaporates. Stir occasionally.
5. Once the wine is evaporated add 1 cup of vegetable stock and stir through. Stir occasionally until the rice has absorbed the stock and thickened.
6. Repeat the last process with the rest of the stock. Stir over medium heat until the rice is tender but not too soft. Don’t let the stock fully evaporate.
7. Add the blended vegetables to rice and stir through thoroughly.
8. Add the rest of the baby spinach leaves and heat through for 3 minutes. The risotto should be thick and creamy. If you feel like you need to add more stock, please do so. No one likes a dry risotto :)
9. Season with pepper and stir through some parmesan

It’s ready to serve up now. Top it with some extra parmesan and enjoy!