Summer Fresh Pea & Dried Tomato Risotto from ‘Deliciously Dairy Free’
Every week, we’re celebrating cookbooks that serve up tasty recipes with your health in mind. Below, we’ve chosen an excerpt from Deliciously Dairy Free by Lesley Waters (Hamlyn), which focuses on fuss- and lactose-free recipes for those who either can’t have or are trying to limit the amount of dairy in their diet. Try making the recipes at home and let us know what you think!
Photograph by Haarala Hamilton
Summer Fresh Pea & Dried Tomato Risotto
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main course
The pea puree flavored with sweet basil is the special element in this dish. Not only does it taste divine and have a wonderful vibrant color, but it makes the risotto super rich and velvety.
Pea puree
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen petits pois
¾ cup boiling water
1 cup basil, stems and leaves salt and pepper
Risotto
20 semidried tomatoes in oil, drained and 2 tablespoons of the oil reserved
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup risotto rice
²⁄³ cup white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups hot vegetable stock
1 cup podded fresh peas
To make the pea puree, heat the olive oil in a medium-size, shallow skillet, add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until softened.
Add the petits pois and the measured water and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in all the basil and cook for 1 minute.
Transfer the pea mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set to one side to cool.
To make the risotto, heat the tomato oil in a saucepan. Stir in the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine, add the oil and cook until absorbed.
Add half the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until each addition is almost all absorbed into the rice—this will take approximately 10 minutes. Add the peas and continue adding the remaining stock as before, until the rice is cooked but still al dente —this will take approximately 8–10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, mix the pea puree into the risotto, spoon into warmed serving dishes and top with the tomatoes.
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