Pea Risotto

 As a colourful side dish to liven up a boring old grilled chop, I boil them with frozen sweetcorn and serve them mixed together with a knob of butter.

For tasty vegetarian meals, a little creativity with some fresh herbs can make all the difference. Which is why this rich and creamy risotto with bright peas and mint is a real winner for me.

Many people are intimidated by risottos, imagining them to be a very 'cheffy dish'. But for relaxed home cooking, risotto is actually a simple and versatile thing to prepare. If you've got the patience to stand by the stove for half-an-hour, stirring and stirring, you've already cracked it.

Use either Arborio or Carnaroli rice as they contain more starch than other varieties.

Keep a pan of stock just simmering nearby, so as not to lower the temperature of the rice pan, and start the gentle process of adding a little stock, waiting for it to be absorbed before adding a little more. The constant stirring massages the starch from the rice into a luxurious dish and once this is done, add the nutritionally supercharged peas.

Whilst peas may not seem very exotic or trendy, they actually count as our very own native superfood, packed with vitamins and minerals. They provide good to very good amounts of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and protein.

Perhaps surprisingly, these diminutive vegetables have several aspects which make them good for bone health, as they pack a powerful dose of vitamin K2 which helps activate osteocalcin, which anchors calcium supplies within your bones.

In plain English this means that consuming peas with dairy, like the Parmesan cheese in this recipe, helps strengthen bones and protect you from osteoporosis -- particularly important if you're female, elderly or both.

Additionally, green peas supply a good level of folic acid, which helps ward off certain metabolic by-products associated with problematic bone formation. Both vitamin K2 and folic acid are beneficial for cardiovascular health too. Peas also contain a spectrum of other beneficial B vitamins, iron, vitamin C and dietary fibre.

Even better, the crunch of tender peas in a rich risotto is a real treat in itself, so be sure to enjoy these vitamin and mineral powerhouses in this tasty setting and if your kids won't eat them add in some colourful sweetcorn -- it never fails.

Pea Risotto (Serves four)

1 litre hot stock
50g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
200g risotto rice
150ml white wine
200g garden peas, defrosted
pinch grated nutmeg
10g mint, leaves chopped
20g Parmesan, finely grated
salt & pepper

Method  

1. Gently fry the onion in butter, until softened.
2. Add the rice and increase the heat, stirring until the grains of rice are evenly coated.
3. Add the wine, followed by the first ladle of hot stock. Reduce the heat to a brisk simmer while stirring and adding ladles of stock.
4. Use the last ladleful of stock to liquidise half of the peas, turning it into a bright green purée.
5. Season to taste, adding a light grating of nutmeg.
6. Stir the rest of the peas through the risotto and heat through before stirring in the purée and mint.
7. Remove from the heat, cover, and allow to sit for two to three minutes before serving with Parmesan.