Broadbeans and strawberries

Broadbeans and strawberries
Originally uploaded by redmag

We've been away.....and while I had grand plans to blog from the road, those of you who stopped by in the last week or so will notice that I just didn’t manage to......must stop overestimating my organisational powers.

There were more broad beans and two little strawberries....in the garden to show you. This time I made broad bean and pea risotto - it didn’t "show" the broad beans off in quite the same way that the pasta dish I shared with you last time....but if you're a risotto fan this will definitely hit the spot....I just ate the strawberries....there were small and delicious.....and made me realise I really do hate those monstrous bland ones you get at the shops.

Broad bean and Pea Risotto Recipe
(Also adapted from the Green River Cafe Cookbook - those ladies love their broad beans!)

100g butter
Fresh Boradbeans (I used about 300g once podded or ~600g before podding)
Equal amount of peas - i used frozen because we didnt have any fresh ones
Handful of shopped fresh parsley
2 litres of Chicken Stock
One small chopped onion
300g of aborio rice
100g of Parmesan - freshly grated
Cracked pepper

Bring the stock to a simmer. Pop the butter in a heavy bottom pan, make sure that its going to be bring enough for the risotto, and melt slowly. Gently fry the onion in the butter until soft and starting to colour. Add the rice to the butter and onion and stir until the rice if coated with butter. When the rice begins to turn opaque add a ladle of the stock. Stir continuously (I enlisted the help other others and plied them with liquor to make the time pass more quickly). Add a new ladle of stock once the previous one has been absorbed by the rice. When the stock is down to the last ladle or so add the broadbeans and peas to it - this is just to heat them through.

When the rice is al dente - add the peas and beans and take off the heat. Now stir through the parmesan and parsley. Add cracked pepper to taste if you like - there shouldnt be a need to add salt because stock is pretty salty and serve.