Sunchoke Risotto with lemon thyme oil

I could just have risotto every day i think. Beetroot risotto - check, asparagus risotto - double check, mushroom risotto - ohhh yeah! But sunchoke or jerusalem artichoke risotto. Well when I found the recipe in my Denis Cotter 'Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and me..' book I just had to try it. The sunchokes were cooked to a puree and was offset but the wonderful lemon thyme oil. Beautiful.

If you haven't come across Denis Cotter before be amazed by the great writing and sheer enthusiasm for vegetables. If you buy a cook book make it this one.

Broccoli and Pasta

This is an old, old favourite taken from a River Cafe recipe or was it a Valentina Harris recipe? many years ago. I have cooked this for years with various simplfications and abstractions. Elements can be added or taken away - if your ingredients are good it is still great. It is simplicity itself.









Serves 2
Head of broccoli - break up the florets adn use some of the stalk (it is great)
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 dried chilli crumbled
Small tub of fromage frais (or cream if you like it rich)
2 anchovies if you want to be more traditional
Pasta for 2 (you can use shells for the best result but I have been using wholewheat spaghetti for years)
Freshly grated Parmesan.

1. Gently steam your broccoli. Remember you can always peel and chop up some of the stalk for added flavour - try it.
2. Gently fry some garlic in olive oil.
3. Crumble some dried chilli in the mix.
4. When the broccoli is al dente add to the garlic and crumbled chilli and cook for a couple of minutes
5. Cook your pasta.
6. Keep a couple of florets of broccoli apart and add the rest with a tub of fromage frais (or cream) to a blender. (You can leave it unblended and it is still quite fantastic. Blend to a lovely sauce.
7. Return to the frying pan and gently warm adding some seasoning if needed.
   
8. Drain your pasta when ready and return to your cooking pan.
9. Add some freshly grated Parmesan and fold in your broccoli sauce.
10. Serve with some extra Parmesan on top.

Beetroot Risotto with Pea Shoots

This was a real 'what do I have and what do I really like'. When you live in Britain you have to really love to love beetroot. It grows so well and really adds a substantial taste to your diet. That earthiness is unmistakeable. That is what puts most people off. It is so much an acquired taste but which earns so many advocates. Beetroot has advocates like chickpeas or olives or spinach. Or maybe it is just a bunch of us who like all those vitamins.

It is big, bold and gutsy and can handle quite strong flavours. This is one of my made-up riff meals based on a beetroot and gorgonzola cheese risotto I had many years ago.

And to suit a riff meal..... just follow one of the risotto recipes and simply roast or boil the beetroot prior to adding to the risotto mix.... I probably used about 3 beetroot for 2 people. At the end of cooking add some blacksticks blue cheese (from M&S - one of those great cheeses), arrange some pea shoots on top and enjoy.