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Green Risotto with Spinach, Peas, Herbs and Runner Beans

Preparation time: 30 minutes. Cooking time: 35 minutes, plus 5 minutes standing
 
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 125g (4oz) runner beans, trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) lengths
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder or 1 cube
  • 1 large garlic clove, crushed
  • 400g (13oz) risotto rice
  • 250ml (8fl oz) white wine
  • 125g (4oz) baby leaf spinach
  • 125g (4oz) fresh or frozen petit pois
  • 3–4 tablespoons chopped herbs – parsley, mint, dill, chives, whatever is available
  • salt and pepper

To Serve

It’s hard to believe that such a delectable risotto is actually low in fat. Some roast tomatoes complement it perfectly.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and celery, stir, then cover and cook for 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the runner beans in boiling water to cover, for 4–5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and set aside, reserving the liquid. Make the liquid up to 1.2 litres (2 pints) and put into a pan with the vegetable stock powder or cube. Bring to the boil and keep warm.

Add the garlic and rice to the pan with the onions and stir well. Add half the wine and continue cooking, stirring until the wine has bubbled away. Repeat the process with the rest of the wine, then add the hot stock in the same way, a ladleful at a time.

When the rice is tender and all or most of the stock has been used up – about 25 minutes, add the spinach, beans, peas and herbs, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes, until the spinach is cooked.

Season with salt and pepper and serve at once.

Taken from Rose Elliot Vegetarian Supercook, published by Hamlyn.