Risotto of Peas

Risotto of Peas

Risotto of Peas, Anchovies, Salad onions and Herbs

Ingredients:

• 900 gr fresh peas in the pod
• 12 Special selection fillets of anchovies in oil, drained and chopped
• 100 gr salads onion, trimmed of most of their green parts and roughly chopped
• 1 level tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 level tablespoon snipped fresh chives
• 725 ml fresh chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 75 gr butter
• 200 gr rice
• 150 ml dry white wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve :
25 gr butter
A few parmesan shavings

Methods:

1. Pod the peas, saving their shells. Put the stock in a large saucepan, alon with bay leaves, then wash and chop the pea pods and add them to the stock. Allow to simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, then strain through a sieve into a second saucepan, making sure you predd down well on the mushy pods to extract maximum flavour. Discard the pea pods and bay leaves and keep the stock on a low heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy-based pan, melt the butter and fry the salad onions over a medium heat until they are soft and translucent. Add the peas and allow them to stew for a minutes before adding the rice, then stir over a meagre flame until everything is well coated with the butter. Pour in the white wine and allow it to bubble gently, until it has been absorbed by the rice. Now, keepin the pan on a low heat, start to add the hot pea and chicken stock, 1 ladleful at a time, allowing each addition of liquid to be fully absorbed before introducing the next. Keep stirring gently with wooden spoon.

3. Check the texture of the rice as you go along-it should be cooked through yet firm but not chalky in the middle- as you may not need to add all the stock. The resultant texture should be sloppy but not soupy.

4. Add the mint , chives and anchovy fillets, and stir them in. Check for seasoning before adding salt, but grind in plenty of pepper. Before serving, take the pan from the heat, stir in the extra butter and cover for 5 minutes. Scatter a little parmesan on top of the risotto.