Summer vegetable risotto recipe

Lighten things up with this fresh summer vegetable risotto. The tasty mix of ingredients make this a flavoursome yet fairly healthy dish that’s perfect for vegetarians. Or it can also work well as a side dish with chicken or fish.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Handful pine nuts

Handful blanched almonds

½ onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1tbsp olive oil

300g risotto rice

1 vegetable stock cube in 1litre boiling water

150ml Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc

1 courgette, thinly sliced

100g fresh peas

100g asparagus, cut into bitesize pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

Few sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

Knob butter

Parmesan cheese, to serve

½ lemon, zest only

Method

Lightly toast the nuts in a small dry frying pan for a few minutes until golden, then set aside.

In a large saucepan, gently fry the onion in the oil for five minutes until soft but not browned, then add the garlic and fry for another minute.

Tip in the rice and stir well to coat all the grains in oil then add two ladles of hot stock, stirring gently until most of the stock is absorbed.

Add the alcohol-free Sauvignon Blanc and cook gently until most of it is absorbed. Keep adding stock, a ladleful at a time until most of the stock has been used up.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan. Drizzle a little olive oil over the courgette slices and place on the griddle. Cook on both sides until they have char lines and are turning golden. Remove to a plate.

Blanch the peas and asparagus in boiling water for two minutes, then add to the risotto. Continue adding the rest of the stock then season with pepper and check that the rice is cooked – it should still be slightly firm in the middle.

Stir in the chopped parsley, butter, courgettes, Parmesan and lemon.

Serve into bowls and scatter with the nuts.

Recipe courtesy of Eisberg Alcohol-Free Wine