Pine Nut Risotto

Ingredients

For the pine nut butter

• 225 g pine nuts
• 50 g high quality buttery olive oil
• 150 g cold water
• salt

For the risotto

• 30 g normal quality olive oil
• 2 shallots
• 150 g carnaroli rice (or arborio if unavailable)
• 750 g vegetable stock
• salt

Method

To make the pine nut butter

This will make more than you need but it’s very hard to make less than this. Luckily it’s one of life’s beautiful things and it won’t last long once you’ve tasted it. Try tossing vegetables in it, eating it with pasta, watering it down and dressing salads with it or just eating it on toast.

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 (fan assisted 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3).

Toast the pine nuts in the oven for 4 minutes until hot but not yet browned – if they colour it will make your risotto murky.

Set 50 g pine nuts aside for garnish.

Put the rest of the pine nuts into a high power blender and blend with the rest of the ingredients until very smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.

Season with salt.

Transfer to a storage box and keep in the fridge – for up to 2 weeks – until needed.

To make the risotto

Finely dice the shallots.

Put the stock into a pan and bring to a simmer.

Heat the olive oil in a small pan and then gently sweat the shallots until just soft, but not coloured.

Add the rice and stir.

Add 3 ladles of stock and cook, stirring constantly.

When the stock has been absorbed add another ladle of stock whilst continuing to stir.

Continue this process, adding stock each time it is absorbed, until the rice is just cooked and the texture is like that of thick cream.

Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the pine nut butter and stir until thick and creamy.

Garnish with the pine nuts set aside earlier and serve immediately before the rice becomes overcooked.