This is such a flavoursome risotto thanks to the Parmesan stock you use to make it. It’s still a delight with vegetable or chicken stock but the Parmesan broth is a flavour power house and basically free to make so you should totally try it!
The other thing that makes it amazing are the slow roasted tomatoes it’s topped with. They’re so intensely flavoursome, and rich in umami flavour. With these and the depth of flavour from the Parmesan broth this is a very satisfying vegetarian dinner. That said I’ve also added grilled chicken breast in at the same time as the peas and it was delicious (see image below). You can sprinkle with pine nuts at the end if you have them on hand but it’s a delicious dish with or without.
I like making sure the rice has a tiny bit of bite when you stop cooking so that you don’t end up with textureless hot, wet rice – no one needs that in their lives. If you’re running or of Parmesan broth you can add hot water or normal vegetable stock towards the end.
The zucchini soaks up flavour and is the perfect thing to use up at the start of Autumn, it pairs perfectly with the last of the in season tomatoes.
To make Parmesan stock/brodo/broth: brown whenever you finish off a block of Parmesan save the rind. Chop it up and freeze it. You need 1/2 – 1 cup. Add it to a pot with 2 litres of water, along with a couple of cloves of garlic and some parsley stalks or celery if you have it on hand. Cook for a couple of hours until the rind has disintegrated and the broth smells cheesy and delightful. Longer cooking will result in a more intense flavour. Taste and adjust seasoning. Strain. Use immediately or freeze.
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g Cherry, baby Roma or flavouring tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil (quantities in recipe)
1 leek or use a brown onion
3 cloves garlic
2x zucchini, finely grated
2 cups arborio or carnoroli rice
1 cup dry white wine (or whatever you have, dry rose works too!)
6 cups Parmesan broth (see notes above) or vegetable stock
1 cup peas
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbs finely chopped parsley or chives
Juice of one lemon
Black pepper and salt to taste.
Directions
Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius. Add tomatoes to a small baking tray, they should be touching. Add 2 of the garlic vloves, skin on. Drizzle in extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place tomatoes in the oven (they can go in while it’s preheating). Cook for 40mins-1hr, you want them to collapse and get some colour.
Meanwhile, add 1 tbs of oil to a hot large heavy based fry pan with high sides. Add leek (or onion) and cook for a few minutes over medium low heat until softened. Add 1 crushed clove of garlic. Continue to cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute. Add the zucchini and stir through the rice, cook for 1 minute and then add the wine and simmer until evaporated.
Add the stock a cup or so at a time stirring after each addition and allowing to absorb before adding more. Add the garlic cloves from the tomato tray as soon as their cooked and stir through too. They usually take 30minutes to soften while the tomatoes are roasting. Make sure you are gently cooking over a low heat.
Continue adding stock until you are at your last addition, at this point add the peas and stir through. Cook for 1 minute and remove from the heat when there is still some liquid left to absorb. Stir through the parmesan, lemon zest, parsley. Add lemon juice to taste. Then add salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve the tomatoes on top of each serving of risotto and sprinkle with more freshly grated Parmesan.
HH. x
