Broad Beans

Broad Bean Risotto

Serves 4 as a main dish
2 medium onions, chopped      
2 cloves garlic crushed
200g arborio (risotto) rice
250g skinned or podded broad beans
1 litre of vegetable stock   
150ml white wine
75g grated parmesan cheese 
1 lemon (juice and grated zest)
1 tbsp fresh thyme    
1 knob of butter                                 
tablespoon olive oil

Break the broad beans out of their pods and put the beans to one side. If you are going to skin the broad beans do this now. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large, thick-bottomed pan. Add the onions and garlic and stir. Cover and cook on a low heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onions soften and turn translucent. Add the risotto rice and stir it well, to gently coat each grain with the oil. Cover and cook on a very low heat for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and thyme to the rice mixture. Turn up the heat and allow it to simmer until almost dry. Add the stock about a few ladles at a time. Each time you add some, stir until the liquid has almost evaporated –or until you can see the bottom of the pan when you are stirring. Continue this until the rice is "al dente" - soft, but with a little bite. If you run out of stock before the rice is done – use water. Add the broad beans, lemon juice and water. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and finally, mix in the grated parmesan and a lump of extra butter.

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