Shellfish risotto

This relies on a good quality fish stock. We made ours using langoustine shells simmered with bay leaves, celery, peppercorns, onion and hot water for an hour or two.

Otherwise, see if you can buy fish stock from your local fishmongers.

We made our risotto in the usual way, flavouring it with a small onion, a clove of garlic and a couple of sliced portobello mushrooms as a token veg addition. We added lemon zest, lemon juice, scallops, tiger prawns and squid rings for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, adjusting the seasoning as necessary.

Add some parsley towards the end as well if you like and serve with extra lemon wedges.

Paella

We love paella. It’s so easy to make and virtually fool proof. Brown the meat, add veg followed by rice and stock, then cover and leave to cook. Add any shellfish and peas for the last five minutes and garnish with herbs and lemon.


We vary ours depending on what we fancy but this one is a favourite…

Ingredients (serves 2 but is easily doubled etc):
3 chicken thighs
4 mini cooking chorizo sausages
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
Pinch of saffron
¼ tea sp smoked paprika
Large handful of shell fish (we used mussels, langoustines and prawns)
½ cup frozen peas
200g paella rice
500ml chicken stock
1 lemon
1 small bunch of parsley

- Cut the chicken and chorizo into bite sized chunks and brown in a little olive oil. Set aside.
- Next fry the peppers, onions and garlic for 5 minutes or so until softened. Add the meat back into the pan.
- Add the saffron, paprika and rice and stir well.
- Add the stock and give everything a good stir. Cover the pan with a double layer of foil and make sure it is tucked tightly around the edges so steam doesn’t escape.
- Let the paella cook on a low-ish heat for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes lift the foil and add the peas and any shellfish. Re-cover with foil.
- After a further 5 minutes remove the foil and check to see that the shell fish is cooked.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges (we took the photo above before we did this)
- The rice should be tender and a crust should have formed on the bottom of the pan - don’t worry about this, it’s the best bit!

Herby green risotto

This was lovely and fresh and Spring-like, even if there has been snow and hail here in Cheshire in the last week or so :-(

I've not included how to make a risotto again here, just the ingredients used. For the first time ever we made a risotto without wine in it. It didn't taste any worse for it. Although it was rather odd to stand stirring the rice with a cup of tea in hand rather than the usual glass of vino.

Ingredients:
- veg stock
- arborio rice
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 fat clove of garlic, minced
- 6 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 2 handfuls of spinach, roughly chopped
- handfuls of parsley, watercress and chives, blitzed
- handful of green beans and asparagus cut in half, cooked in boiling water for 2 mins and then set aside to add to the risotto for the last few minutes
- small tub of double cream, added towards the end
- salt and pepper
- plenty of parmesan grated on just before eating

Tandoori rack of lamb with saffron rice

First, make your tandoori spice mix. We used ginger, coriander, cumin, mustard powder, garlic, cardomom and paprika - mixed with yoghurt. Marinade the rack of lamb for at least an hour.

Roast the lamb in a hot oven for 15 minutes, and then put it under the grill for a final 5 minutes for pink meat.

Whilst the lamb is cooking prepare the side dishes. We had basmati rice with shallots and saffron, plus paneer cheese cooked with tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms.

Turkey, pancetta and sage risotto

Perfect Autumn food... Fry a diced onion with a clove of garlic in olive oil until softened. Add the pancetta, turkey (we used breast) and a handful of sliced chestnut mushrooms. Once the turkey has browned add the rice and keep adding white wine and stock until the rice has cooked. Add some chopped sage leaves and some green beans (chopped into three chunks) to the pan about 10 minutes after you've added the rice.

Check the seasoning and finish with a swirl of double cream and top with grated parmesan to serve.

Nasi Goreng

We use cooked rice for this - either cooked ourselves and then cooled or one of those microwave pouches of cooked rice. You could use whatever veg takes your fancy in this. We tend to use either strips of lean pork or chicken and prawns in ours.

Ingredients (serves 2):

cooked rice

2-3 chicken thighs, diced

handful of prawns

1 onion, chopped

1 large clove of garlic, chopped

4 spring onions, chopped

1 chilli, chopped

1cm piece ginger, minced

1 green pepper, chopped (optional)

1 courgette, chopped (optional)

6 mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 tea sp curry powder

1/4 tea sp ground coriander

1/4 tea sp ground cumin

sesame oil

soy sauce

1 egg

• In a little sesame oil fry the onion, garlic, mushrooms and peppers for a couple of minutes, then add the chilli, ginger and spring onions.
• Brown the chicken pieces in a separate pan and then add them to the veg. At this stage you can also add the curry powder, coriander and cumin.
• Continue to fry the chicken and vegetables for another couple of minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
• At this stage add the prawns, peas and a splash of soy sauce.
• Beat the egg and make a plain omellette. Cut it into strips and set it aside.
• Add the cooked rice to the chicken and veg and season to taste and then add another splash of sesame oil. Stir everything well and make sure the rice is hot.
• Garnish with the omelette strips and serve.

Jambalaya

Ingredients: serves 3-4

250g long grain rice

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

3 celery sticks, chopped

1 onion, chopped

pack of mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 chilli, finely chopped

8 tomatoes, diced

3 chicken thighs, diced

3 cooking chorizo sausages, diced

small cooked prawns

1/2 tea sp of paprika

splash of Worcester sauce

bay leaf

approx 400ml chicken stock

black pepper

olive oil

hot chilli sauce, to serve

• In a large non stick pan fry the chicken thighs in a little olive oil until browned. Add the chorizo and cook for another minute. Remove the chicken and chorizo from the pan and set aside.
• Add the onion, garlic, peppers and celery to the pan and cook until starting to soften. Then add the mushrooms and continue to fry for a minute or two.
• Add the chicken and chorizo back into the pan, followed by the paprika, Worcester sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and some black pepper.
• Add the rice and stir well and then pour over the stock. Leave to cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently until the rice is tender.
• Add the cooked prawns and stir through a couple of minutes before serving.
• Serve with a hot chilli sauce on the side for people to add according to taste.

Spring risotto

This was a really tasty risotto... plenty of green veg and loads of cheese :-)

Ingredients (serves 2):

a cup full of arborio rice

veg stock (around 300ml)

white wine (around 250ml)

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 mushrooms, sliced

4 spring onions, sliced

1 leek, finely diced

a handful of spring greens, sliced

1/4 cup of peas

8 spears of asparagus, thinly sliced lengthways

1 tbl sp cream cheese

50g grated parmesan

olive oil and butter

salt and pepper

• Fry the garlic, leek, mushrooms and spring onions for 5 minutes or so in a little butter and olive oil.
• Add the rice and stir through thoroughly.
• Add the wine and stock in alternate measures, waiting until the liquid has almost evaporated until you add more. Stir frequently.
• After about 15 minutes, or when most of the liquid has evaporated, taste the rice to check how long it has left until it is just tender.
• When you get to this stage add the spring greens, peas and asparagus and stir through. Continue to cook for another few minutes.
• Add the cream cheese, parmesan and black pepper to taste. You may not want to add salt due to the stock and parmesan being salty themselves.
• Serve immediately.

Duck and red wine risotto

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 duck leg

4 rashers of pancetta

1 red onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

8 chestnut mushrooms, sliced

small handful of mixed greens (optional)

1 tbl sp fresh thyme leaves

risotto rice (1 cup full)

200ml chicken stock

glass of red wine

tea sp redcurrant jelly

salt and pepper

olive oil

• Slow roast the duck leg in advance. We did this the night before. Once cooked, remove the meat from the bone, shred the meat into bite size pieces and set aside.
• In a non-stick frying pan saute the pancetta, onion and garlic in a little olive oil. After 5 minutes or so add the sliced mushrooms and fresh thyme and allow the mushrooms to soften slightly.
• Add the rice and stir through thoroughly.
• Start to add the stock and wine (alternating between the two). Keep adding liquid until the rice is cooked.
• Once the rice is almost cooked add the shredded mixed greens, cooked duck, redcurrant jelly and season with salt and pepper.
• Allow to cook for another 5 minutes or so before serving.

Crab and Champagne risotto

It looks quite unappetising from the photo but it tasted a lot better than it looked! I know that Italians tend not to mix seafood with cheese in pasta and risotto dishes but the parmesan really suited this dish.

Ingredients (serves 2):

150g cooked white crab meat

1 cup full of risotto rice

1 glass of champagne

approx 200ml veg or fish stock

1 leek

1 clove of garlic

4 shallots

a handful of mushrooms

approx 50ml single cream

a handful of grated parmesan

salt and pepper

small knob ofbutter

• Peel and finely dice the shallots, garlic and leek. Heat the butter in a non stick pan and add the diced veg
• Finely chop the mushrooms and add those once the shallots/leek/garlic have softened
• Once the mushrooms have been cooking for about 5 minutes, add the rice and stir it through
• Alternate adding a splash of champagne and then stock into the pan. Keep adding liquid every 5 minutes or so as the rice soaks it up
• After 20 minutes or so the rice should be tender. Add the cooked crab meat and stir through the rice. Add the parmesan and a swirl of cream towards the end
• Season to taste and serve with a glass of champagne of course!

Lamb with garlic and herb risotto

Ingredients (serves 2 with leftovers):

arborio rice (approx 2 cups)
1 white onion, chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 sprig of rosemary, chopped

2 sprigs of thyme

pinch of dried oregano

a few mint leaves

1/2 pack chestnut mushrooms, sliced

1/2 bag spinach

1/2 cup of peas

approx 400ml veg, lamb or chicken stock

approx 300ml white wine

parmesan, to taste

salt & pepper

olive oil

lamb (either rack, chops, cutlets etc)

1. Fry the onion and garlic until soft
2. Add the mushrooms and herbs and cook for another 5 minutes or so, season with salt and pepper
3. Add the rice and stir through to coat the grains
4. Start to add the stock and wine in stages and keep adding liquid when it needs it
5. After about 15-20 minutes put the lamb chops/cutlets under the grill and cook to your liking
6. Add the spinach and peas to the risotto for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Add the grated parmesan and adjust the seasoning
7. Serve the lamb on top of the garlic and herb risotto