Courgette Leek and Spinach Risotto

Risotto is a dish whose origins lie with the poorer working classes of Italy. Originally, it was just rice cooked in a broth with whatever other ingredients were available and was used as a means of a cheap stomach filler. This was definitely not a dish favoured or eaten by the nobility. It only began to appear on the tables of the upper classes during the 19th century when the method of toasting the grains before slowly adding hot liquid was more widely practiced and a national dish was born.

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Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

½ leek, finely chopped

Pinch chilli flakes

1 courgette, diced

200g arborio risotto rice

1 x 125ml glass white wine

150ml hot chicken stock

75g spinach, roughly chopped

25g butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

fresh chives, to garnish

method:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a lid, add the leek and chilli flakes and fry gently until softened. Add the courgette and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, or until the rice turns translucent.

Add the wine, turn up the heat and boil for 1-2 minutes. Add the stock one ladleful at a time and stir continuously until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked.

Stir in the spinach and the butter, remove from the heat, cover and set aside for a few minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, place the risotto into serving bowls and garnish with the chives.