Mushrooms are the most common vegetable to pair with risotto but when it comes to summer, there are plenty of light and zesty alternatives.
British chef James Martin has the ultimate pairing, lemon and courgette, the latter of which is in season right now.
The peak season for juicy green courgettes spans between June and September in the UK, making them incredibly tasty and affordable.
Sharing a recipe from his BBC show, James Martin: Home Comforts, the TV chef, who hosts James Martin’s Saturday Morning described the dish as “gorgeous”.
Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, the recipe is a great backup for when the fridge is looking empty. James even suggested using any leftovers for homemade arancini.
Courgette and lemon risotto recipe
Ingredients
750ml pints chicken or vegetable stock
25g unsalted butter
Two shallots, finely chopped
One garlic clove, finely chopped
Three sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
200g risotto rice
200ml white wine
200g courgettes, trimmed, cut into 1cm cubes
Four heaped tbsp grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
One unwaxed lemon, zest, plus one tbsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
First, place the stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer then leave over low-medium heat for a while.
Take a separate large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and add the chopped shallots, garlic and thyme leaves. Gently fry for two minutes until everything is softened.
Add the risotto rice and stir well until it is coated in the butter mixture, then add the wine and simmer again until the liquid has almost evaporated.
Add a couple of ladlefuls of hot stock to the pan and bring each one to a simmer as you add them, stirring regularly until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Spoon more of the stock in a little at a time until there’s half of it left, stirring as you go.
When half of the stock has been added to the rice, stir in the courgettes and continue to add the remaining stock until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite. This should take 15 to 18 minutes.
Finally, stir in the parmesan, lemon zest and tablespoon of lemon juice to taste, then season well with salt and pepper. Top with more grated parmesan to serve, if you wish.
