Lately Dave and I keep on getting caught in the rain. And not just your regular moderately mannered rain but the torrential kind that saturates in a second. It happened again on Wednesday. Dave has been working long hours and we had hardly spent time alone for over a week so Dave met me at Borough market after work. I got there before him and eyed up some broad beans I thought would be nice for dinner. I had no money on me but the lovely American family who run that particular stall bagged some up for me in preparation for Dave's arrival. A while passed and they started packing up. I told them I'd have to put them back but they said, don't worry, come back and pay, we'll be here tomorrow. When do ever get that these days?! Things like that truly restore my faith in humans and reinforce my belief that farmers' markets create communities. There was no need to take up the offer though, as Dave turned up just in time.
We went and had a drink in a cosy old pub then went outside to get our bikes. While we were in the pub the weather had packed it in and it was raining. As we cycled home it got progressively worse, I nearly fell off my bike twice and my shoes filled with water. I can't quite understand how in movies saturating rain inevitably leads to hysterical laughter followed by scenes of intensely passionate romance. By the time we got home, I felt like a drowned rat, Dave was looking at me like I was a drowned rat (he definitely wasn't trying to pull any moves) and when I looked in the mirror I saw that I did indeed look like a drowned rat. Ah well, this is not the Notebook.
After such experiences, something comforting is required. So I made a risotto using my broad beans, peas and goats cheese. Light and summery in flavour but still satisfyingly cosy.
Recipe
1 cup arborio rice
1 small bag of broad beans, podded
3/4 cup peas - fresh or frozen
50 grams goats cheese
1 clove garlic crushed
1/2 onion, finely chopped
olive oil
white wine (about 1/4 cup)
900 ml vegetable stock
bunch of mint, shredded
zest and juice of half a lemon
Parmesan
Put your stock into a pot and turn onto a very low heat just to keep hot. In other pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the rice and cook for a minute or two to cover the grains in the olive oil. Add a decent splash of white wine and allow to cook off while stirring. Start adding stock, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring now and again. Add the next lot of stock when the previous amount is nearly dried up. It should take about 20-25 mins.
When the risotto is nearly done cook broad beans and peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes until just cooked. Drain and run cold water over them to stop them cooking. Pop the broad beans out of their skins.
Add the zest, lemon juice and mint to the risotto and combine. Add the peas and broad beans and grind in some salt and pepper with a small amount of stock. Taste - if it needs more lemon add some now. Grate in some Parmesan to taste.
Serve on plates and sprinkle over goats cheese.
Serves 2
We went and had a drink in a cosy old pub then went outside to get our bikes. While we were in the pub the weather had packed it in and it was raining. As we cycled home it got progressively worse, I nearly fell off my bike twice and my shoes filled with water. I can't quite understand how in movies saturating rain inevitably leads to hysterical laughter followed by scenes of intensely passionate romance. By the time we got home, I felt like a drowned rat, Dave was looking at me like I was a drowned rat (he definitely wasn't trying to pull any moves) and when I looked in the mirror I saw that I did indeed look like a drowned rat. Ah well, this is not the Notebook.
After such experiences, something comforting is required. So I made a risotto using my broad beans, peas and goats cheese. Light and summery in flavour but still satisfyingly cosy.
Recipe
1 cup arborio rice
1 small bag of broad beans, podded
3/4 cup peas - fresh or frozen
50 grams goats cheese
1 clove garlic crushed
1/2 onion, finely chopped
olive oil
white wine (about 1/4 cup)
900 ml vegetable stock
bunch of mint, shredded
zest and juice of half a lemon
Parmesan
Put your stock into a pot and turn onto a very low heat just to keep hot. In other pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the rice and cook for a minute or two to cover the grains in the olive oil. Add a decent splash of white wine and allow to cook off while stirring. Start adding stock, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring now and again. Add the next lot of stock when the previous amount is nearly dried up. It should take about 20-25 mins.
When the risotto is nearly done cook broad beans and peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes until just cooked. Drain and run cold water over them to stop them cooking. Pop the broad beans out of their skins.
Add the zest, lemon juice and mint to the risotto and combine. Add the peas and broad beans and grind in some salt and pepper with a small amount of stock. Taste - if it needs more lemon add some now. Grate in some Parmesan to taste.
Serve on plates and sprinkle over goats cheese.
Serves 2
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