Odds-and-ends risotto

Name: Odds-and-ends risotto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 35 g butter; 1 onion, chopped; 75 g fennel, leek or celery trimmings (or a mix), chopped; 350 g risotto rice; 1.2 L vegetable stock; 125 ml dry white wine (or vodka or dry vermouth); 2 pieces Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano rind (optional); 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, finely grated; 60 g salad leaves, such as rocket, watercress or spinach; 20 g chopped soft herbs, such as parsley, chives, tarragon or mint (or a mix)

This is about using up what you have – bits that usually end up in the bin, such as a parmesan rind, vegetable trimmings, forgotten herbs and (possibly wilting) bags of salad in the fridge drawer.

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HealthyLow in saturated fat1 of your 5 a day

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook35 mins
Total time45 mins

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Ingredients

35g butter
1 onion, chopped
75g fennel, leek or celery trimmings (or a mix), chopped
350g risotto rice
1.2 L vegetable stock
125ml dry white wine (or vodka or dry vermouth)
2 pieces Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano rind (optional)
30g Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, finely grated
60g salad leaves, such as rocket, watercress or spinach
20g chopped soft herbs, such as parsley, chives, tarragon or mint (or a mix)

Method

Heat 20g of the butter in a large heavybased pan. Once melted, add the onion and vegetable trimmings. Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, then add the risotto rice and cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring to toast the rice. Bring the stock to a simmer in a neighbouring pan as you cook.
Add the wine and cook, stirring until absorbed, then add the cheese rind (if using) and the hot stock, 1 ladle at a time, stirring continuously – only add the next ladleful when the previous one has been absorbed.
After about 20 minutes, when the rice is almost al dente and most of the stock has been used up, add the remaining butter, grated cheese, salad leaves and chopped herbs. Pour in a final ladle of stock, stir vigorously until well combined, then cover and let the risotto sit off the heat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately. The cheese rind will now be soft enough to eat, so cut into pieces with a knife, for sharing.

Cook’s tip

Keep chopped fennel, leek and celery trimmings in the freezer, ready to be cooked down as a base for risottos, soups and stews, adding loads of flavour at no extra cost.