Easy peasy risotto with chilli & mint crumbs
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Easy peasy risotto with chilli & mint crumbs

By Cassie Best

This cheap pea risotto doesn’t skimp on flavour, with lemon zest and Italian-style hard cheese, such as pecorino or Parmesan

  • Prep:5 mins
    Cook:45 mins
  • Serves 2
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 747
  • fat 14g
  • saturates 4g
  • carbs 108g
  • sugars 10g
  • fibre 16g
  • protein 39g
  • salt 1.8g

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus a drizzle
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 200g risotto rice
  • 1l hot chicken or vegetable stock
  • 300g frozen peas
  • 25g Italian-style hard cheese (pecorino, Parmesan or vegetarian alternative), grated
  • juice and zest 1 lemon
  • 2 slices leftover bread (a few days old is best)
  • 2 frozen red chillies (deseeded if you don't like it too hot), see tip, below left
  • small bunch mint, chopped

Tip

Frozen chillies

The chillies are easier to grate from frozen and will keep in the freezer for months.

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins, then add the garlic. Stir in the rice for 1-2 mins, then add the stock, a little at a time, stirring continuously until the rice is nearly cooked and the stock has all been absorbed – this will take about 20 mins. Meanwhile, tip the peas into a colander and run under the hot water tap until defrosted. Drain well, tip into a bowl and roughly mash with a potato masher.

  2. Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the peas, cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice, then season well.

  3. Grate the bread on a box grater into chunky crumbs. On the finer side of the grater, grate the chilli. Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan, add the chilli, lemon zest and crumbs and cook for 2 mins until crispy, then add the mint and sprinkle over the risotto before serving.

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