TWO TEN PRAWN,MUSSEL AND MINT RISOTTO


Serves two.
Half an onion, finely chopped
25g butter or 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1.25l good stock, chicken or vegetable, caution on salt level ½ cube is sufficient or just water
200g carnaroli or Alborio rice
50g unsalted butter, diced
50g Parmesan or Grana Padano (for a vegetarian option) cheese, grated
2 Peel uncooked Tiger Prawns
3 mussels
25g Peas
Seaon to taste (salt and pepper)
Bring the stock to the boil (cubes will often be too salty, so taste and water it down if necessary).
Melt the 25g of butter (or use the vegetable oil) and soften the onion in a heavy-bottomed, straight-sided pan, then add the carnaroli/alborio rice. Turn up the heat, and stir to coat the grains with butter.
When they are hot, add a small glass of white wine, and keep stirring until this has evaporated. Then you're ready to start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time. Stir until it has nearly all been absorbed – the rice should always be sloppy, rather than dry – and then add another, and so on.
Add any extra ingredients at some point during this time, (raw mussels and prawns) depending on how robust they are – usually about 10 minutes in.
When the rice begins to soften (after about 13 minutes, but the only way to know is to keep checking), add the stock in smaller amounts, and test it regularly, until it is cooked to your liking. Add the Peas Then add 50g of diced butter, and 50g of grated cheese, and beat in with gusto, until the risotto is rich and creamy. Check the seasoning, then serve immediately.


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BEETROOT RISOTTO
Serves: 2
200g (7 oz) cooked beetroot, cubed
75g (3 oz) arborio or risotto rice
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs
125g (5 oz) halloumi cheese
3 big cloves of garlic, chopped
Dash of olive oil
375ml (13 fl oz) port or red wine
Plenty of water
Fresh chives
Salt and pepper

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PORCINI RISOTTO
Ingredients
225 g parmesan, (Parmigiano-Reggiano), plus extra to serve
40 g dried porcinimushrooms
3 tsp vegetable stock powder or 1vegetable stock cube
4 tbsp olive oil
300 g arborio or carnarolirisotto rice
1 bunches spring onions, finely chopped
300 g pumpkin, butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small chunks
150 ml italian drywhite wine

Method
1. Finely grate the parmesan and set to one side.

2. Put the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl. Mix the stock powder or cube with 850ml boiling water, then pour over the mushrooms and leave them to soak for about 30 minutes.

3. When ready to cook, heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan or large saucepan. Add the rice and sauté it gently over a medium heat for about one or two minutes, until it looks translucent, though not browned. Add the spring onions and pumpkin or butternut squash and cook gently, stirring often, for another two or three minutes.

4. Pour in the wine and let it bubble up for a few moments, and then add the soaked mushrooms and about two ladles of stock. Cook gently for about 20-25 minutes, adding more stock as needed, until the rice is tender and creamy.

5. Stir in the parmesan and season to taste. Top with shavings of parmesan, or freshly grate some more onto each portion, then serve.