Weekend Foodie: Veg risotto is ideal for entertaining

Sat, 09 Aug, 2025 - 07:14

Recently, I was landed with a late announcement that family were visiting and bringing a guest for dinner.  With less than 24 hours' notice, I had to decide on and shop for impromptu entertaining  - plus having to look like I’d made an effort!

On these occasions, my go-to is usually a risotto. It suits anyone who is gluten intolerant and with  just veggies, it works for vegetarians too. If you have a vegan on the guest list, using a vegetable stock for the base, leaving out butter, using more olive oil, and serving Parmesan cheese separately rather than adding it to the dish also fits that bill. Win win. For the base, I included shallots, scallions, chestnut mushrooms, and orange pepper for colour.  I added whole cooked asparagus stalks on top in the last few minutes, to give style and colour. A side of fresh tomato salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some crusty sourdough are perfect accompaniments.

To follow, we have only a few more weeks to enjoy the bounty of our homegrown strawberries, so let's celebrate them before the season comes to a close. If you have mint growing in your garden, tear a few leaves and add to this recipe for a fresh and lively finishing touch. This is good with fresh cream or ice cream, or their plant-based versions.

VEGETABLE RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Generous knob of butter
Good splash of olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
250g chestnut mushrooms, wiped and sliced
1 orange or red pepper, seeded and chopped
400g risotto rice
1.5lltr vegetable stock, plus extra if necessary
100g asparagus tips
2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Method

Melt butter with olive oil in a large non-stick skillet pan and add the shallots, garlic and scallions, reserving a few to finish.
Cook for a minute till starting to soften.
Add oregano,  mushrooms and peppers and cook for a few more minutes, stirring continuously.
Add rice and stir through. Cook for a minute or so, stirring.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add a ladle of stock from the measure.
Bring to bubbling and turn down to a simmer. Cook till stock is absorbed.
Continue adding stock like this, ladle by ladle, letting it absorb each time, till all the stock is added and the rice is tender. Simmer between additions. Stir occasionally to bring out that creamy consistency.
Cook till rice is  tender but still with bite. Add a little more stock if necessary to reach desired consistency. 
When last addition of stock is almost absorbed, scatter the asparagus stalks on top of the risotto with an extra knob of butter. Cover with a lid and continue cooking for a few minutes until asparagus is tender.
Check seasoning. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and extra fresh scallions to finish and serve extra Parmesan for sprinkling.

ELDERFLOWER AND LIME MARINATED STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients (Serves 4)

500g strawberries, hulled and rinsed
3 tbsp elderflower cordial
Squeeze of lime juice
Grated zest of a lime to finish (optional)

Method

Pat strawberries dry, then halve and place in a bowl.
Add elderflower cordial and lime juice and toss through.
Leave for at least 15 minutes before eating.

THE WEEKEND GARGLE

Since I do most of my shopping in Lidl for this dish, I also went to the wine shelves for a sip to go with it. Rosé is the epitome of summer drinking, and as we are still in the summer season, why not continue to enjoy it as August rolls on! Especially when you find a bargain like I did for this occasion. Les Cinq Rameux Rosé Cotes du Aix En Provence 2021 is a real find. Provence in the south of France  is a great area for rosé wines, with almost 80% production being rosé in the area. This is the wine the French choose for a sip at lunch or dinner during the summer months. So this one is typical in style, with lots of fresh strawberry and raspberry tastes, but also a nice clean edge of citrus to balance the berry fruit. Chill this for about an hour in the fridge to bring out the crispness, but not too cold to dumb down the array of summer fruit tastes. On offer currently at €7.99 a bottle. Great wine at a great price! Ooh la la!

Receipt

Mains