Creamy Courgette Risotto Food

CREAMY COURGETTE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a sturdy frying pan, add the onion and gently fry until softened. Stir in the grated courgettes and rice, increase the heat and sizzle while stirring for 1-2 mins.
• Add the lemon juice and a ladle of hot stock, and bubble over a medium-high heat while stirring constantly. When the liquid has just about been absorbed, add another ladleful of stock. Keep cooking like this for 20-25 mins until the rice is just tender and is creamy. Stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone and some seasoning, cover with a lid or baking sheet, and set aside for 5 mins while you cook the remaining courgettes.
• Heat the remaining butter and a splash of oil in a small frying pan. Add the diced courgettes, and fry over a high heat for 2-3 mins until golden and just softened. Divide the risotto between shallow bowls or plates, then scatter with the diced courgettes and any buttery juices, the pine nuts and a few pinches of lemon zest.

RISOTTO WITH ZUCCHINI AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Melt 1 T. butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, and cook until beginning to soften, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; reserve saucepan (do not clean).
• Bring 3 cups broth to simmer in small saucepan. Reduce heat to lwo and keep warm.
• Melt remaining 2 T. butter in reserved medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add rice and stir until opaque, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth. Adjust heat so liquid simmers slowly and cook rice until broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until rice is just tender and creamy, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Add zucchini and stir until heated through. Mix in cheese.

SPICY CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Steps:

• Prepare chicken by dicing into approximately 1 inch cubes and slice zucchini into small cubes, roughly the same length as a grain of rice. Rusticness is the key here though so don't worry about the odd lump here and there.
• Make up chicken stock with 1 pint boiling water.
• Start by preparing the glaze for the chicken; mix together a pinch of salt, dash of ground pepper, the spices, 1 crushed garlic clove, honey, crushed ginger root and 1 tbsp olive oil and a twist of lime. Put to one side.
• For the risotto, melt the butter in a large heavy pan over a medium to high flame. Add remaining crushed garlic clove and add rice. Coat the rice in the butter for approximately a minute and a half. keep stirring to prevent sticking.
• Add a splash of white wine and stir for a further 15 or so seconds.
• Add half the chicken stock and leave to simmer on a medium flame for 3 minutes. Just before adding remaining chicken stock, add diced zucchini. Leave covered for 5 minutes, then keep checking to see the moistness of the rice for a further few minutes, it should be sticky and creamy, if it gets dry, add a little water. The rice should not be totally soft when served, but "al dente.".
• In a separate frying pan, add a little olive oil and leave to heat. Add chicken and bay leaf and cook for 30 seconds. Add glaze prepared earlier and fry until cooked all the way through.
• Take off heat, stir chicken through and serve! Wonderful with a large glass of white wine.

ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring vegetable or chicken stock to a boil in a medium stock pot, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
• Melt butter in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook for 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted. Gradually ladle in simmering vegetable stock, stirring continuously. Risotto will become "creamy" and slightly sticky, yet still firm in the center, or al dente.
• When almost finished, stir in the zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and thyme, adding stock as needed and stirring continuously. Stir in basil and 3 tablespoons cheese just before serving. Divide risotto among 6 bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and season with pepper to taste.