Vegetable & Butter Bean Risotto.
I‘m always conscious of adding more protein into my plant-based meals and the addition of creamy butter beans in this risotto works wonderfully. I cut the leeks & courgettes roughly the same size as the beans so that everything works together texturally.
It’s difficult to get the same level of creaminess in a risotto without the usual parmesan cheese so i like to add a dollop of plant-based cream cheese right at the end to help it along. This is not essential though, it’s also delicious without.
Ingredients.
Olive oil, a few tbsp for sautéing
1 onion, diced
1 courgette
1 small leek
50g frozen Peas
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp each of dried thyme, dill & tarragon, or other herbs of your choice
150g arborio rice, or any other risotto variety
Small (215g) tin of butter beans, drained & rinsed
3 tbsp nutritional yeast, I use the BOSH! one
1 litre vegetable stock, check the stock cube:water ratio
2 bay leaves
About half a lemon, juice & zest - adjust to taste
1 tsp dijon mustard
A heaped tablespoon of vegan cream cheese, optional but makes it extra creamy
Salt & fresh black pepper
Equipment.
Large sauté/frying pan
Medium/large saucepan
Ladle or large spoon
Fine grater/zester
Knife & chopping board
Method.
Split the leek lengthways and fan out the layers under running water to wash away any dirt. Chop into half moons
Cut the courgette lengthways and then chop these halves lengthways again so you’ve got 4 long quarters. Cut along the quarters to remove some of the watery, centre seedy part, then chop the remaining courgette into chunks
Fry the courgette & leek in some olive oil on a high heat
Once it’s a nicely charred, transfer to a bowl and set aside
Make the stock in a saucepan and add the bay leaves. The key to a good risotto is keeping your stock hot, so keep the pan on a low heat next to your risotto pan. This ensures that your rice cooks evenly and makes the risotto creamy
Fry the onion in some olive oil for 5-10mins until soft
Add the rice, dried herbs and garlic and fry for a couple of mins
On a medium heat, gradually add the stock one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and ensuring the stock is fully absorbed before you add the next spoon. This is a labour of love and should take between 16-20mins in total
After about 15mins add the vegetables back in along with the butter beans, frozen peas, dijon & nutritional yeast, still stirring and adding stock when needed
Once the rice is cooked, turn the heat off and stop adding stock. You may or may not need all of the stock, depending on the rice you use, how hot the pan is etc, so you’ll need to keep checking the rice after about 15mins or so. It should be cooked but retain a little bite so it’s not mushy
Finally stir in a big spoon of plant-based cream cheese (if using), add a little lemon zest & juice (to taste) and test for seasoning. Serve up and enjoy!
