Meat-Free Monday: Vegetable Risotto

The secret to great risotto is to keep stirring which brings out the creaminess of the rice. Asparagus and spinach make the perfect vegetarian risotto served with a sharp Parmesan.

Ingredients
Olive oil
2 finely diced onions
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
500g arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1-1.5L hot vegetable stock
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup asparagus, chopped in 3cm pieces
Handful of frozen peas
1 cup baby spinach leaves
Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method
1. In a medium saucepan coated with oil, sweat the onions and garlic on medium heat. Season. Add the rice and saute the rice for 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add wine and let rice completely absorb. Slowly add the hot stock, 1 ladle at a time while stirring. The rice needs to completely absorb the stock before another ladle is added. Stir the risotto often.

3. After 15 minutes of stirring, add the asparagus and frozen peas, and keep cooking the risotto. The risotto is done when a creamy texture is achieved. Check for seasoning. Just before serving, add the spinach, turn the heat off and put a lid on the pan. Wait 2 minutes, and serve with Parmesan cheese.