Carrot Fennel Risotto

4 cups vegetable stock
2 T brandy
1 ½ cups diced fresh fennel bulb (about 1 large)
2 carrots, diced
½ cup chopped yellow onion
2 T olive oil
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1 cup good quality white wine
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Heat the stock in a saucepan until hot, and keep on low. Place the brandy and 2 T of the stock in a 2-quart pot that has a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the fennel, carrot, and onion.

Stir to coat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside, uncovered, when fork tender. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat, heat 2 T olive oil and add rice when hot, stirring to coat.

Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add hot stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until absorbed each time.

Add the vegetables, basil, and parsley with the last addition of stock and stir.

When stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender, transfer to a warmed serving bowl. (Add ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired). Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley or fennel sprigs.

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Oven-baked tomato risotto with summer herbs

800g ripe beefsteak tomatoes
25g unsalted butter
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
300g risotto rice
150ml white wine
900ml chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt and black pepper
50g mixture fresh herbs: flat leaf parsley, mint and basil (leaves only)
6 tbsp olive oil
100g freshly grated Parmesan plus extra to serve

Heat the oven to 190C/170 C fan/gas 5. Pierce the top of the tomatoes with the point of a knife, plunge them one by one into boiling water for 20 seconds, then into cold water, slip off the skins and coarsely chop the flesh, discarding the cores.

Melt the butter in a large cast-iron casserole over a medium heat and fry the onion for a few minutes until translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes longer, stirring frequently until they start to become mushy. Stir in the rice, add the wine and simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the stock and some seasoning.

Bring to the boil, cover and cook in the oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, whiz the herbs with the olive oil to a puree in a food processor.

Remove the risotto from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan, leave to stand for 5 minutes more, then dollop over the herb puree and fold over a few times to streak it. Serve with extra parmesan scattered over.

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Pumpkin and sage risotto

4 small pumpkins
20g (1oz) butter
1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
300g (10½oz) risotto rice
1 glass dry white wine
4 finely chopped sage leaves
1ltr (1¾pt) chicken stock
80g (3oz) Parmesan, grated
20g (1oz) butter
8 sage leaves to garnish

Cut lids from the pumpkins, discard the seeds and cut the flesh into cubes. Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan, add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the risotto rice and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Add the white wine, pumpkin and chopped sage leaves. Stir well to combine.

Gradually add 1 ladle at a time of hot chicken stock, stirring after each ladle, adding the next one only when the liquid is almost absorbed. Continue until the rice is al dente and the pumpkin is soft (about 20 minutes).

Season and stir in the Parmesan. Spoon the risotto into the pumpkin 'bowls' and garnish with sage leaves fried in butter, Parmesan shavings and a twist of black pepper.

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