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This dish is originally a Gordon Ramsey recipe featured on Red Online, a British women’s website. I was a little disappointed though. After all his online bluster about the perfect risotto, I had expected a more flavorful dish from Mr Ramsey. Perhaps it’s somewhat disappointing results can be chalked up to cooks error. I suspect it would taste better if prepared by his hands rather than mine.

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Zucchini and Mixed Mushroom Risotto (a variation of this recipe)

  • 2 small zucchini
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large garlic cloves, microplaned 
  • A few basil sprigs, leaves only
  • 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
  • A squeeze of lemon juice
  • 2.5 cups chicken stock (GF if you want)
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup wild mushrooms, cleaned and halved or sliced if large
  • 2 to 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking tray with foil. Halve the zucchini lengthways and score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern. Arrange the cut side up on the tray. Season lightly and scatter over the garlic slices and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Bake for 30–40 minutes until the courgettes are soft. Let them cool slightly, then roughly chop the flesh.

For the risotto, bring the stock to a simmer in a pan. Heat another medium saucepan and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring, for a minute. Pour in the wine and let it bubble to reduce down until the pan is quite dry. Gradually add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Let the rice absorb most of the stock in the pan before adding another ladleful.

When the rice is al dente, stir in the chopped courgettes and turn off the heat. Leave the risotto to stand for a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat a wide frying pan and add one to two tablespoons of olive oil. Tip in the mushrooms, season and toss over a high heat for three to four minutes until they are golden brown and any moisture released has been cooked off. Add the mushrooms to the risotto, along with a little more boiling stock if you prefer a ‘wet risotto’. Stir in most of the Parmesan and adjust the seasoning. Divide the risotto among warm plates and sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan.

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