Sausage Bake

This bake is seriously easy to make and tastes fantastic - perfect for those where dinner needs to be a hug! I imagine it would make a lovely breakfast as well, served with hash browns and a bucket of tea. I used the red pepper sausages from Aldi as I'm not keen on faux-meat sausages but this would work equally well with whatever your favourite is. This made enough for 2 for dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

1 large onion
6 cloves garlic
12 sausages
1 can butter beans
1 can cannellini beans
1 can kidney beans
2 cans tinned tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 jar sundried tomatoes
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Grab your biggest pan and place over a low heat with around 2 tbsp of the oil from the sundried tomatoes. Dice the onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Drain the liquid from the  the beans and add to the pan and fry gently for a couple of minutes. Roughly chop the sundried tomatoes and pop into the pan along with the tinned tomatoes and puree, stirring everything together. Add in a can of water along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, the paprika, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar then bring to a simmer.

Leave to simmer until the sauce has reduced by around half and starts to cling to the beans, around 30 minutes.  Season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Preheat your oven to 180c fan. Fry the sausages in a separate pan until nearly cooked then layer the bean and tomato mixture into an oven dish and top with the sausages, pressing them down into the mixture below. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper and a little drizzle oil from the tomatoes over the exposed sausage. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the sausages are cooked.

I served this with finely shredded cabbage and leeks steamed together, a favourite of my other half.

Please make this as I know you will love it. When you do, take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Thank you 

Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Pasties

This recipe has been enjoyed by vegans and omnis alike, I used vegetarian haggis for mine but a meat one would work equally well I would imagine. I made the filling from scratch but this would also be a brilliant way of using leftovers from Burn's Night. Great as a lunch by itself, this could also be paired with green veg as the main part of your evening meal. Most vegetarian haggis is vegan but it is always worth double checking the ingredients. The buttery shortcrust pastry perfectly complements the soft and flavoursome filling. I am aware that this differs from a classic pasty recipe but sometimes its fun to mix things up a little.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
450g plain flour  - plus extra for dusting
200g butter
1 tsp salt
8 tbsp water  - you may not need all of it
For the filling:
1 standard sized haggis
1 large carrot
1 medium neep
2 baking potatoes
4 tsp onion gravy powder
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Take a large bowl and pop in the flour, salt and butter and rub together until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Carefully add the water a spoonful at a time to bring the mixture together into a dough. Stop adding water as soon as the dough comes together, it should be soft but slightly crumbly. Once the dough has come together, wrap it in clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least an hour.

While the dough chills, cook the haggis according to the instructions on the packet. Chop the vegetables into bite sized cubes and boil gently until soft. Drain the vegetables then add the haggis in along eith a tbsp of butter and salt and pepper to taste. Fill a mug 3/4 with hot water then stir in the gravy granules to create a thick gravy then pour over the filling. Mix everything together, dont worry if the vegetables mash a little into the haggis. Add a little more salt and pepper if needed then place to the side to cool.

Once the filling has cooled, preheat your oven to 160 fan. Flour your work surface and two baking sheets. Grab the pastry out of the fridge and diving into 6 balls. Roll each ball out into an oval roughly 20cm by 15cm. Place 2- 3 tbsp of the filling onto half of each oval until there is around 1 cm pastry clear around the edge and a generous mound in the middle. Carefully fold over the remaining pastry and crimp the edges to seal. I folded the corners in then crimped round, meeting in the middle to prevent leakage. My crimping skills aren't the most aesthetically pleasing but it worked and tasted good so thats what matters!

Once all of the pasties have been made, place on the oven trays and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown all over. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes on a cooling rack before serving as these are incredibly hot to bite into.

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Garlic Mushroom Wellington

The current topic of conversation both in real life and on social media seems to be 'what are you having for Christmas dinner?' and while my family don't go down the traditional route, we had risotto last year, I wanted to create something semi-festive that was easy to make and felt like a proper treat. This wellington is rich and hearty without being heavy making it the ideal dish for days when eating is the main theme... this will either serve 2 or 4 people depending on portion size!

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash - try to pick one with a small seed area
1 roll puff pastry
2 red onions
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp butter
400g mushrooms
4 - 6 large cloves garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil

Method: 

Preheat your oven to 200c fan and wash your squash. Chop the squash just above the seed area and take the top of the squash, cut it in half lengthways and coat with olive oil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until soft to the touch and the skin has turned golden. Peal the skin from the squash while its still hot and scoop out some of the flesh to create a channel down the length to hold the fillings then place to one side to cool.

While the squash is roasting, finely chop all the mushrooms and fry over a high heat in a tbsp of olive oil. Once the mushrooms have started to reduce, mince the garlic and add in with a generous helping of salt and pepper.

Slice the onions as finely as you can and fry over a low heat in the butter and nutmeg until soft and slightly caramelised.

Carefully unroll the puff pastry sheet then use a rolling pin to extend the dough to the edges of the parchment it comes on. Cut the sheet into quarters and then use scissors to cut the parchment along with the dough for easier handling.

Preheat your oven to 200c fan and lightly flour a baking tray. Place the squash halves on a chopping board with the hollows facing up. Carefully fill half the butternut squash with mushrooms and top with the caramelised onions then place one of the pastry sheets over the top. Peal off the baking paper and repeat the process with the other half of the squash. Place the baking tray over the top of the squash and carefully up end then so the pastry layer is now on the bottom. Take the remaining pastry and cover the squash, pulling the bottom piece up to create a sealed package.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and flaky. I have served these with a quick onion gravy and green peas for lunch or as part of a roast with potatoes and green vegetables for dinner.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Spiced Stir-Fry Soup

This soup is one of my new favourite dishes when I want something quick and easy to throw together that is warm and comfy and healthy too. The combination of the fresh vegetables with a coconut-y, spiced broth makes this incredibly more-ish. This recipe takes around 20 minutes including prep time and serves 4 hungry people. It would work equally well with whatever veg is in the fridge needing used up.

Ingredients:
1 handful asparagus
1 handful mangetout
1 handful sugar-snap peas
1 medium carrot
1 handful tender-stem broccoli
1 handful baby corn
1 can water chestnuts
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can beansprouts
1 can coconut milk
1 tube lemongrass
1 tube garlic
1 tube ginger
1 handful button mushrooms
1 handful oriental mushrooms
2 rice noodle nests
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce

Method:
Top and tail all of the vegetables and chop into bite sized pieces. Place a wok over a high heat and pop around 2 tbsp of olive oil in. Once the oil is hot, add the carrots and mushrooms and fry until starting to soften. Mix in the rest of the vegetables, water chestnuts, beansprouts and bamboo shoots then stir in the lemongrass, ginger and garlic and fry gently until everything is combined and starting to soften.

Add in the coconut milk and then refill the can with hot water and add this too. Place in the noodles and season with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Simmer until the noodles are cooked through, usually a couple of minutes. Add more soy sauce and sesame oil to taste then serve while hot.

Super simple, this recipe is sure to put a smile on anyones face.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Tart

Having seen all the pictures of peoples beautiful rose inspired apple pies on Instagram recently, I decided to put a savoury spin on the dish combining the rich flavours of the Mediterranean with a luscious buttery pastry. This recipe is a little more fiddly and time consuming than some of my others but I think the results are worth it, both in appearance and taste.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
225g plain flour
100g butter - i use dairy free
pinch salt
4-6 tbsp cold water

For the Tomato Sauce:
300g ish cherry tomatoes
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes
salt and pepper

For the Filling:
1 large Aubergine
1 large courgette

Method:

In a large bowl, carefully rub together the flour, salt and butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the water a tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Pop the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes along with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place in a preheated oven at 160c for 15 minutes or until soft and starting to caramelise. Place the roasted tomatoes along with the sun-dried tomatoes into a blender and blend until smooth, adding more salt and pepper if required.

Finely slice the aubergine and courgette, cutting the larger slices of aubergine in half.

Take the dough from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface to around a 30cm circle. Take a loose bottomed tart tin and carefully drape the pastry over. Take a small piece of excess pastry and use this to push the pastry into the tin, getting into all the corners. Trim the pastry to the top of the dish.  Line the pastry with baking foil and blind bake for 10 minutes, at 160c.

Once the pastry is blind baked, place a generous layer of the tomato sauce over the base then top with the slices of aubergine and courgette in circles to create a flower design. Drizzle with olive oil then bake for a further 15 - 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and the vegetables are cooked.

Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin then serve instantly.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Asian Inspired Spiced Courgette Soup

Ideal for the current weather where its either bucketing with rain but weirdly warm or sunny but freezing; this soup is light, flavoursome and warming. The combination of spices gives an aromatic flavour while the freshness of the courgette helps to lift the dish. Incredibly easy, this soup takes less than an hour to make and tastes fantastic.

Ingredients:
4 medium courgettes
2 onions
1 bag fresh spinach
1 bag small potatoes - roughly equivalent to the courgette
3 tbsp grated ginger
3 tbsp grated garlic
3 tbsp lemon grass
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method: 
In a large pan, gently saute diced onions over a medium heat. Roughly chop the vegetables (this soup is blended so no need to worry about making it pretty!) and add the potatoes to the pan to fry for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and lemon grass and enough hot water to cover the potatoes. Boil until the potatoes are almost tender then add the courgettes and spinach.

Once everything is soft, take off the heat and blend; either using a stick blender or a food processor; until everything is smooth. Add the sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste before serving with a slice or five home made bread.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Peppermint Slices

One of the team at my Other Half's work requested these, and always up for a challenge, I decided to make this classically chocolate-y treat completely vegan and dairy-free. I also gave it a twist on the classic using a mint chocolate for the topping and dusting it with finely chopped fresh mint for an additional hit. For me, mint and chocolate has always been a match made in heaven.

Ingredients:
For the base:
2 cups plain flour
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
250g butter - I used dairy free

For the filling:
4 tbsp milk - I used soy
40g butter - I used dairy free
5 cups icing sugar
1 tbsp peppermint essence

For the topping:
300g mint dark chocolate
180g butter - I used dairy free
handful mint leaves

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160C fan and line a large deep bottom baking tray with greaseproof paper. Place all the base ingredients other than the butter in a large bowl and mix together. Melt the butter over a medium heat and then stir into the other ingredients, coating everything thoroughly. The proportions will look totally off but with a little persistence it all comes together. Smooth over the base of the baking tray, I used my fingers then a small glass to smooth it all out. Bake for 15 minutes until firm to the touch then place to one side to cool.

Melt together the butter and milk for the filling then stir in the icing sugar and peppermint essence, adding more peppermint if you like it mintier. The should have a double cream like consistency; if its too thin, add a little more icing sugar until it thickly coats the back of a spoon. Pour over the top of the base and smooth with a spatula before popping in the freezer to set while you make the topping.

Melting again, this time melt the butter and chocolate together over a low heat, stirring regularly to prevent the chocolate separating. Finely chop the mint leaves and place to one side. Once the filling has set, pour over the melted chocolate and smooth to the edges. Top with the mint for extra pizzaz! Pop back in the freezer for 10 minutes until the chocolate is firm to the touch then remove from the tin and cut into squares. I placed mine back in the freezer for a little longer then take them out about 20 minutes before serving to return to room temperature, this prevents too much messiness.

When you make these, please tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Bread and Butter Pudding

The weather here is cold and miserable again and calls for cuddly food which reminds us all of childhood. I had a loaf of slightly sad, not home-made, bread to use and couldn't resist a heartwarming bread and butter pudding. I love mine packed with spices and fruit, just as my mum makes. This recipe doesnt come with many measurements as it really depends on personal taste and how many layers you create.

Ingredients:
1 loaf sliced bread
Butter -  I used dairy-free
Cinnamon
Ginger
Mixed fruit
Brown sugar
500ml Milk - I used soy

Method:
Preheat your oven to 160C fan and butter a large oven proof dish. Butter each slice of bread on one side and carefully line the bottom and sides of the dish with bread butter side up, I like the crusts on the bread but if you don't then do remove them. Sprinkle the bread with the spices, sugar and mixed fruit then layer over a couple of slices of bread. Repeat the process until all but two of the slices of bread are used. Place these over the top, butter side down, and carefully push down to compact everything together. Pour the milk over the top until you can just see it between the pieces of bread. Top with a generous sprinkle of sugar and spices.

Bake for 20 minutes until the top is crispy and golden then let cool for a few minutes before serving. The pudding should be fragrant and have a crisp top with a soft centre.

My favourite way to use up old bread, this recipe never fails to make people smile. When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #dairyofadefectivehousewife

ENJOY!

Potato and Cauliflower Curry with Homemade Naan

I wasn't planning on writing a blog post for this curry and naan recipe yet but I had taken a couple of pictures to send to my brother to tease him as he LOVES a good curry and decided to post one on a Facebook group, almost as a joke. The response was overwhelming with requests so here is the recipe! Please excuse the poor photos, these weren't exactly planned. This went down a treat with my other half who usually does qualify anything as food unless it has meat in, to the point he's requested it for a potluck dinner with his friends. PS... yes, I was eating my dinner in bed!

Ingredients:
For the Curry:
1 large head of cauliflower
Roughly the same quantity of potatoes
1 bag fresh spinach
1 bag mange tout peas
1 can coconut milk
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tub cherry tomatoes
2 onions
5 tbsp mild tandoori curry powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tube lazy garlic (6 cloves)
1 tube lazy ginger (3 inch fresh)
1 tub lazy lemongrass (2 sticks fresh)
olive oil
salt and pepper
Boiling water
2 tbsp cornflour

For the Naan:
375g plain flour - plus flour for dusting
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
250ml warm water
1 tbsp maple syrup

olive oil

Method: 
For the curry: 
Grab your largest pan and place it over a medium heat, coating the base with olive oil. Roughly dice the onions and saute in the oil until translucent. Add in the cumin, coriander and curry powder. Chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces and pop into the pan. Add the coconut milk and tinned tomatoes along with a can full of hot water. Half the tomatoes and add these in along with the cauliflower, broken into bite sized florets. Add in the ginger, garlic and lemongrass and leave to simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Chop the mange tout into bite sized pieces and add to the curry along with the spinach. Once these are lightly cooked, make up the cornflour according to the instructions on the packet and stir in to thicken the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, I didn't feel it needed much.

If you can leave this overnight and reheat it, even better. The flavours mature overnight and give a depth which is delicious.

For the Naan:
Place the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl and mix together. In a jug, mix the water and maple syrup until the syrup has melted. Add to the flour mixture and bring together. Tip onto a floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes until the dough is smooth and springy.

Place in an oiled bowl and leave at room temperature to prove for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into 6 pieces and roll each piece out to a rough oval around 1cm thick. Make sure to flour both your surface and rolling pin as the dough is quite sticky.

Place a frying pan over a high heat with a teaspoon of olive oil. Place one of the naans into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes until large bubbles appear on the top then flip over. The cooked side should be crispy with darker patches. Fry for a further couple of minutes to crisp the other side. Repeat until all the naan are cooked, I place them in a tea towel to keep warm before serving.

I served this curry with the naan and some basmati rice but have also had it on its own as a quick lunch, especially if there's some left over.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Mushroom Pinwheels with Tomato Dip

These mushroom pinwheels came about when another recipe I was testing went wrong, and I'm very grateful it did as these are one of my new favourite snacks. Packed with garlic and herbs, the pinwheels are full of rich flavour while the tomato dip has just enough acidity to cut through the pastry. I used pre-rolled pastry from the shop for ease but if you are happy making your own puff pastry then that would be even better. This makes 10 rolls.

Ingredients:
500g chestnut mushrooms
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2  handfuls fresh parsley
1 handful fresh basil
4 large tomatoes
1 roll puff pastry - I used jus-roll as its dairy-free
salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
Place a large frying pan over a high heat and pour in the olive oil and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Finely slice the mushrooms and add to the hot pan to fry, stirring well to coat in the oil and seasoning. Crush the garlic and finely chop 1 handful of the parsley and add to the mixture. Fry the mushrooms until all the liquid is gone and they start to caramelise. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled, preheat your oven to 200c fan and take your pastry out the fridge, leaving for around 15  minutes until soft and pliable. Unroll the pastry and carefully run your thumb over any cracks to seal. Spoon on the mushrooms evenly, leaving around an inch along one long side clear. Roll the pastry towards the clear section, tucking the mushrooms in with your fingers as you go then use the clear pastry to seal the rolls. Cut into 10 pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with grease-proof paper. Place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, finely chop the tomatoes and place in a small pan over a high heat. Finely chop the remaining herbs and add in along with a dash of salt and leave to reduce and thicken, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have thickened and it smells incredible.

 These pinwheels can happily be eaten hot or cold and would be ideal for lunchboxes.

When you make them, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

ENJOY!

Breakfast Pancakes

I keep seeing people putting amazing looking stacks of pancakes topped with all kinds of delights  up on Instagram so I decided to create my own. I have experimented with a few recipes and blended a couple together to create my perfect pancake. I was feeling tropical when I made this particular batch and topped them with fresh mango and passionfruit but they would be delicious with anything, chocolate spread and raspberries, maple syrup... the possibilities are endless. This recipe makes around 6 good sized pancakes and can easily be scaled up to feed a crowd.

Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup water
1 cup milk - I used soy
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon

Method:
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly to create a thick batter. Over a high heat, place a non stick frying pan and ensure its piping hot before adding any pancake batter. Using a half cup measure, spoon in a couple of dollops of mixture into the pan and cook for around 2 mins until bubbles start to appear through the batter. Flip the pancake over (it should be golden brown) and fry for a further 1 -2 minutes until golden brown and set.

Serve warm or cold with your favourite toppings.

When you try this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

ENJOY!

Raspberry Ripple Muffins

These muffins are incredibly easy to make and would be ideal as a holiday baking treat if you have kids. The use of cups as a measurement makes this family friendly.  Perfect for using up bananas that are a bit past their best, this recipe uses their natural sweetness for a lush tasting muffin. The addition of a generous helping of raspberry jam makes these absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
3 over ripe bananas
1/4 cup butter - I used dairy-free
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp raspberry jam

Method:
Preheat your oven to 160c and place 12 muffin cases in a tray. Mash the bananas in a large bowl then cream in the butter and sugar. Don't worry if it looks split, it all comes together. Add in the cinnamon, salt, baking powder and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Carefully fold in the flour until its all incorporated then add the jam and stir lightly, removing lumps but leaving a marbled effect in the batter.

Place a large tablespoon of mixture in each muffin case and top up with any leftovers to get evenly sized muffins. Bake for 25 minutes until springy to the touch and a golden brown.

Serve warm with a large cup of tea. Told you these were easy!

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Lasagna

This lasagna packs in all the heartwarming richness you could hope for while being surprisingly healthy and full of 'hidden' vegetables. I made my pasta from scratch but this could easily be made with the lasagna sheets you can buy and bung in if you're short on time though making the pasta was surprisingly satisfying. This recipe makes around 6 generous portions of lasagna, ideal for batch cooking and freezing or feeding to friends like I did with mine. My friend happily confesses to despising aubergine but loved this dish as all the veggies are chopped small and create a great texture.  

Ingredients:

For the Pasta:

260g plain flour - 00 pasta flour if you can get it

1/2 tsp salt 

140ml water 

2 tbsp olive oil 

For the filling:

1 onion 

6 cloves garlic

1 large aubergine 

1 large courgette

1 bell pepper

12 approx chestnut mushrooms 

1 jar sundried tomatoes plus oil 

large handful basil 

salt and pepper

1 tub tomato passatta 

For the bechamel:

3 tbsp olive oil 

2 tbsp plain flour

2 cups milk - I used soy 

salt and pepper 

mozzarella - I used dairy free 

Method:

For the Pasta:

Combine the salt and flour in a large bowl and gently mix in the oil. Add the water and bring together to form a dough. Decant onto a well floured surface (or into a mixer with a dough hook) and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. Wrap gently and place in the fridge for at least an hour to rest. 

Once the dough has rested, cut into 4 pieces and gently roll each one out as thin as you can, turning half a turn after each roll. Place each piece on a floured surface out of the way. 

For the filling:

While the pasta rests, finely dice the onion, peppers, mushrooms, courgette and aubergine, keeping the onions seperate.  Place a large frying pan over a high heat. Mince the  garlic and lightly saute in some of the oil from the sundried tomatoes alongside the onion. Once these are translucent, add in the other diced vegetables with the rest of the tomato oil. Finely chop the sundried tomatoes and add these into the mix once the vegetables have started to soften. Continue to saute the vegetables until everything is soft then pour in the passatta and add the basil, finely chopped.  

Season with salt and pepper and leave over a medium heat to reduce and thicken until the sauce clings to the vegetables and is rich to taste. 

For the bechamel:

Pop the olive oil into a medium saucepan over a high heat until the oil starts to sizzle then stir in the flour to create a roux. Add the milk slowly, stirring all the time to avoid lumps. Turn down the heat and let the bechamel bubble away until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. 

For the assembly:

Preheat your oven to 160c. Grab a large lasagna dish and place a thick layer of the filling over the base, drizzle with a little bechamel and then carefully top with pasta. Repeat this process until you have used all the filling and pasta then spread the remaining bechamel sauce over the top and smother with cheese. 

Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the topping is bubbling and golden then serve with your favourite accompaniments. 

Please make this recipe and take a picture, I would love to see your creations, tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife. 

Enjoy!

Pea, Asparagus and Sundried Tomato Risotto

I had always thought risotto was tricky to make and probably a bit of a faff which while it tastes awesome probably wasnt worth the hassle. Then a few months ago, my brother presented me with a plate of utterly delicious homemade risotto and a bit of sibling rivalry spurred me on to create this dish, blending a classic risotto with some of my favourite flavours as well as my usual dairy-free twist. This makes 4 very generous portions though its far too easy to scoff.

Ingredients:
2 large onions
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch asparagus
1 small bag frozen peas
1.3l stock - I used vegan stock
2 tbsp butter - I used dairy free
1 jar sundried tomatoes
1 jar artichoke hearts
2tbsp oil from sundried tomatoes
350g risotto rice
100ml white wine
100g parmesan - I used a vegan alternative

Method:
Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and chop into bite sized pieces along with the sundried tomatoes and artichokes and place to one side. In a large pan heat the stock over a medium heat and leave simmering away. Finely dice the onions and garlic. Place a large, flat bottomed pan over a high heat and add half the butter and all of the oil. Melt together then saute the onions and garlic until translucent but not burnt.

Add the rice to the pan and toast for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously before adding the white wine. Let the rice soak this up then carefully add a ladle of stock. Stir the rice continuously until the bottom of the pan can be seen clearly and then add another ladle full of stock. Repeat until most, if not all of the stock is used and the rice is tender.

While the stock is still simmering in a seperate pan, add the asparagus to gently cook, I pressed down with the back of the ladle each time I needed more stock while the asparagus was cooking. Just as the rice starts to soften, add in the frozen peas to cook through along with a ladle of stock.

Once the rice is cooked, add in the parmesan and butter and stir through to add creaminess. Stir in the asparagus, sundried tomatoes and artichokes and allow to warm through for a couple of minutes. I didn't need to season this but salt and pepper could easily be added to enhance the flavours if needs be.

Enjoy!

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.