A risotto made with fresh garden peas and herbs is a food memory from a workshop.

Tricks to cooking risotto: the tostatura is the process of coating the rice in oil and gently heating it. Start with sauté onion in a little water. Add the Carnaroli or Arborio rice for a minute on a gentle heat, so the rice becomes shiny, to coat the rice and seal the grain. Deglaze with a little vegetable stock to stop the tostatura and to deglaze. Cook it with enough stock like about a cup and stir regularly to keep a nice loose texture in the risotto. When you over stir, the rice releases starch, which makes the risotto gluggy. Serve the risotto al dente; it’s ready when you can press a grain between your fingers and the white germ in the middle breaks. If the germ is hard, the risotto isn’t cooked. When the risotto is cooked add a little stock to keep it loose. Remove it from the heat, add the vegetables and herbs.

Health benefits:

·       Green peas are one of the most nutritious leguminous vegetables rich in health promoting phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

·       Fresh, tender peas are relatively low in calories in comparison to beans. 100 g of green peas carry just 81 calories and no cholesterol. They are good sources of protein, vitamins, and soluble as well as insoluble fibre.

GARDEN PEA RISOTTO

PB, V

1 onion, diced

1 cup (220 g) Carnaroli or Arborio rice

½ cup (125 ml.) vegetable stock

4-5 cups (1 L-1.25 L) vegetable stock

1 cup (160 g) garden peas, may use frozen

4 tbsp (44 g) nutritional yeast

a sprig of fresh thyme

handful of fresh parsley, chpd

pinch of sea salt

vegan parmesan, grated

Heat a saucepan on medium heat, add the onion and a little water and cook with the lid on until it begins to soften for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and dry toast, stirring until its edges have turned translucent but the centre is opaque, about 2 minutes. Add a cup of vegetable stock and simmer, stirring constantly, until the liquid has completely reduced and the pan is almost dry. Add a cup of vegetable stock at a time, stirring often and waiting until the stock is almost absorbed by the rice before adding another cup. When the rice is plump and al dente (with a little bit of chew) it’s ready; if you run your spatula through the risotto, it will slowly flow to fill the space. Add a little grated vegan parmesan cheese to make it extra creamy. Stir in the peas and nutritional yeast, serve with handfuls of fresh herbs. The longer you let the risotto stand, the more the starches will set and the silky creaminess will disappear.