Winter vegetable risotto
This is comfort food at its very best – a mound of golden rice topped with winter vegetables. Delicious!
ingredients
- low-calorie cooking spray, such as PAM Olive Oil
- 8-10 scallions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 cup/255g/9oz dried Arborio or risotto rice
- 400g/14oz butternut squash, peeled and cut into small, bite-size pieces
- 200g/7oz pumpkin, peeled and cut into small, bite-size pieces
- 3½ cups/850ml/1¾pt boiling water or vegetable bouillon
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup/60g/2oz freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
method
- Spray a large, nostick frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic, and chili and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes.
- Add the rice and vegetables and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. Add a large ladleful of the boiling water or bouillon and stir and cook until the liquid has absorbed. Repeat, adding a ladleful at a time, until half the bouillon is used up.
- Continue to cook in this way until all the bouillon is used up and the rice is creamy and al dente (tender but still retaining a bite) and the vegetables are tender. This should take about 20–25 minutes. Remove from the heat, season well, and stir in the chopped herbs.
- Ladle into warmed bowls and serve garnished with grated Parmesan (1½ Syns per 1 level tbsp), if desired.
Tip: Suitable for home-freezing.