Wild Garlic & Pea Risotto Recipe

This light Spring risotto recipe celebrates the amazing flavour of wild garlic paired with the freshness of peas. Completely vegetarian and a fantastic way to show off seasonal veg (wild garlic is in season from March to June). It has a few tricks up it’s sleeve: a touch of prosecco, pesto, and uses a lighter cheese to really allow the fresh ingredients to shine through.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Difficulty: Medium

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • Wild Garlic - a small bunch (40g)

  • Pesto (vegetarian) - 75g

  • Cheese (Manchego, Comte, Pecorino, Mild Cheddar) - 75g

  • Lemon Juice - 0.5 lemons

  • Peas, in pods or frozen - a handful

  • Vegetable stock pots / cubes - 2

  • Onion - 1

  • Butter - 50g

  • Prosecco - a small glass

  • Rice (Aroborio, Carnaroli, Vialone) - 250g

  • Double Cream - 50ml

  • Optional - wild garlic flowers to serve

Method

Wild Garlic Risotto Step One - Wild Garlic Pesto

In a blender, blend the wild garlic leaves, cheese, pesto, lemon juice, and a little olive oil.

Set aside for later.

 

Wild Garlic Risotto Step Two - Lock, Stock…

I had the pea pods, so boiled them for a couple of minutes in the vegetable stock to add extra flavour. No problem if you don’t have them though.

Bring a pan of water to a very gentle boil (you’ll need about a litre) then add the stock cubes.

Once the water’s starting to get hot move on to the next step.

 

Wild Garlic Risotto Step THree - Onions & Wine

In a pan add the onions (finely chopped) and about half the butter. Cook over a low heat until the onions go translucent (about 10 minutes).

Turn the heat up as high as it goes and pour in the prosecco. Boil until the liquid has reduced by half.

Make sure the stock in the other pan is on a very gentle boil at this point.

 

Wild Garlic Risotto Step Four - Rice

Once the prosecco’s reduced, turn the heat down to low.

Add the rice and stir through to coat in the prosecco-butter mix.

 

Wild Garlic Risotto Step Five - The Balancing Act

So when people say "making risotto’s hard’, this is the bit they’re talking about, but it’s nothing to fear. You just need to balance a couple of things at the same time: the temperature of the two pans, and the level of water in the pan with the rice in it.

It’s not that hard though - once the rice is coated in the prosecco-butter mix , add a couple of ladles of stock from the stock pot and stir through the rice over a low to medium heat.

Then do three things:

  1. Make sure both pans are on a very gentle boil at all times

  2. Keep slowly stirring the rice to stop it burning on the bottom

  3. Each time the water level in the rice pot gets low, add another ladle of stock from the stock pot.

If the stock pot gets low, just top it up a little with some boiling water from the kettle.

After about 15-20 minutes keep tasting the rice until it only has a little bite left to it.

 

Wild Garlic Risotto Step Six - All Together Now

All Together.jpg

Once the rice is cooked, add the peas and remove from the heat.

Fully stir in the wild garlic pesto you made in step one, the other half of the butter, and the double cream.

Place a lid on the pan and leave for about 3 to 5 minutes.

 

Wild Garlic Risotto Step Seven - Wild Garlic Risotto

Wild Garlic Risotto.jpg

Serve straight away, topping with the garlic flowers if you have them, a few shavings of cheese, some peas, and a sprinkling of black pepper.

And that’s it, hope you enjoy!