Risotto has a bad reputation. Many people think it's hard to cook. But they're wrong! It's super easy! Yes, there's a bit of stirring but that's what makes it such a creamy, comforting dish. However, there is one area where risotto can be demanding: once ready, it doesn't like being kept waiting and should be eaten without delay! Hardly sounds like a chore to us...
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
15 grams
Vegetable Stock Paste
1 unit(s)
Echalion Shallot
2 unit(s)
Garlic Clove
100 grams
Asparagus
50 grams
Sun-Dried Tomato Paste
175 grams
Risotto Rice
125 grams
Baby Plum Tomatoes
40 grams
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains Milk, Egg)
12 milliliter(s)
Balsamic Glaze
(Contains Sulphites)
90 grams
British Smoked Bacon Lardons
750 milliliter(s)
Boiled Water for the Risotto
20 grams
Butter
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Boil a full kettle.
To make your stock, add the boiled water for the risotto (see pantry for amount) to a medium saucepan on high heat.
Stir in the veg stock paste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
Meanwhile, halve, peel and chop the shallot into small pieces.
Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).
Trim the bottom 2cm from the asparagus and discard. Halve the asparagus widthways.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, wide-bottomed pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the bacon and shallot and cook until golden, 4-5 mins. Stir in the garlic, then cook for 1 min more. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw meat. Cook bacon thoroughly.
Add the risotto rice, stir and cook until the edges of the rice are translucent, 1-2 mins.
To make your risotto, stir a ladle of stock into the rice. When the stock has been absorbed by the rice, stir in another ladle of stock.
Keep the pan on medium heat and continue stirring in stock, letting it absorb each time.
The cooking time should take 20-25 mins and your risotto is done when your rice is ‘al dente’ - cooked through but with a tiny bit of firmness left in the middle.
When the risotto has about 10 mins cooking time left, pop the asparagus and baby plum tomatoes onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat.
Roast on the middle shelf of your oven until tender, 10-12 mins.
When the risotto is cooked, remove from the heat. Stir through the sun-dried tomato paste, hard Italian style cheese and butter (see pantry for amount) until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
When the veg is roasted, serve the risotto in bowls with the asparagus and tomatoes on top.
Finish with a drizzle of the balsamic glaze.
Enjoy!
Step 3 MOD: If you’ve chosen to add lardons to your meal, add them to the pan with the shallot. Stir-fry until golden, 4-5 mins, then continue as instructed. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw meat. Cook bacon thoroughly.