I’m a big fan of courgette, so versatile and practically everyone is ok with it (except my children). Taste-wise it is not very significant, this is why whilst browsing ideas on various new ways to use them (I’ve had quite at home, arrived with my Oddbox delivery) decided I wanted to make a risotto with them.
Risotto is always a treat for me, love cooking it, always an excuse to open a bottle of wine (since you need it for cooking too, wink-wink) and just love a good risotto. So, I wanted to use the courgette and whilst browsing for ideas, the lemon and courgette recipes were keep popping up and eventually I started to like the idea. But all of them seemed a bit blend or added peas – which is to me a little odd in risotto, but that’s just me. So I decided I will use a decent amount of onions and a whole leek too, which I did – and it worked out just great.
The Spanish saffron – totally optional, but I do. like the yellowish colour – I don’t like the risottos too pale. To me, somehow colourful dishes taste better.
If you fancy a non-vegan recipe, simply swap the margarine back for butter.
This recipe is creamy but very it also has a very elegant, fragrant lemony taste. Great spring and supper meal and it’s. surprisingly easy to prepare. Well, it’s a risotto, all you have to do is stir. But what a dish in exchange!
Such a refreshing meal, very light and bursting with flavours!
- 200 g risotto rice I used carnaroli
- 1 large courgette cubed about 1x1 cm pieces
- 1 medium leek sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 100 ml white wine
- 1 tbsp margarine
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 1 tsp thyme dried or fresh
- salt and pepper to tast
- pinch of Spanish saffron optional, gives a bit of a yellowish colour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- grated vegan cheese to serve it
- 1/2 lemon juiced
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In a large pan, heat the olive oil and add. all the onions. Saute for 4-5 minutes.
In the meantime, in a frying pan, start frying the courgette, this will be about 10 minutes, until the sides are golden brown and slightly crunchy - this will be great in the texture of the risotto.
Prepare the stock and wash the rice.
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Once the onions are soft but not getting brown, add the rice. Stir vigorously for a minute. Add the wine. Stir again for a minute.
Add half a cup of the stock, and stir every now and then until it has all disappeared into the rice. Carry on adding and stirring in a large splash of stock at a time, until you have used up all the stock – this will take about 20 minutes.
Once the rice is soft enough to eat stir in the courgette gently, and lastly the margarine.
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Serve immediately, sprinkle lemon juice all over before serving.
