Risotto is classic comfort food. Lemon zest offers a bright shaft of sunshiny contrast to bitter, wintry kale – a reminder that there are warmer days ahead.
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Ingredients
150g Pentland Brig kale
60g unsalted butter
1 echalion shallot, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 clove/s garlic, finely chopped
2 unwaxed lemons, zest of both, juice of 1
200g carnaroli risotto rice
100ml dry white wine
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
50g pecorino, grated, plus extra to serve
Method
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Blanch the kale in it for 1 minute, drain, then refresh in ice-cold water. In a food processor, or using a stick blender, blend until you have a purée, adding a splash of water if needed, and set aside.
Melt 30g butter in a large saucepan and sauté the shallot and celery for about 7 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and ½ the lemon zest; fry until fragrant, then add the rice and toast, stirring for 3 minutes until the edges are turning slightly translucent. Pour in the wine and let it bubble down and evaporate (about 30 seconds). Put the stock and 500ml water in a small pan and heat over a medium heat.
Next, spend around 20-25 minutes pouring in ladlefuls of hot stock one at a time, stirring all the time and letting each ladleful absorb before adding the next one. Finally, stir in the kale purée, heat through, then beat in the remaining 30g butter and the pecorino. Add the lemon juice to taste, scatter over the remaining lemon zest and serve with extra pecorino scattered over.