Cleanskin wine is more than a golden dollar-to-standard drink ratio, it's a valuable ingredient. When you actually decide it's gross and can’t drink it anymore, you can use it to make a bangin’ risotto the next day! So versatile!
Serves 5 people
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
A few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
2 leeks, cut into 2cm rounds
2 cups of risotto rice (arborio rice)
1 cup of cheap white wine
6-8 cups of chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
3 lemons, two zested, one cut into 1cm slices
1 cup frozen peas
½ to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
75 grams of butter
Optional garnish: parsley and feta cheese
Method:
Begin by drinking all the wine you aren’t using to cook.
Add a generous amount of olive oil to a deep fry pan or a pot on a low heat. Fry onions, garlic and thyme until soft, this will take at least 5 minutes.
In another pot, heat the chicken stock and allow it to simmer continuously throughout your cook.
Add 25 grams of butter and the leeks to the pan/pot of garlic, onions and thyme. Turn the heat up to medium/high and cook the leeks down until they are soft (around another 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and stir constantly.
Add risotto rice, white wine, and the zest and juice of two lemons, stirring constantly.
When the rice has absorbed all the wine, begin to add the simmering stock to the risotto, around ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly. When the rice has absorbed each half cup of liquid, add more stock. Continue this process for around 30 minutes. The rice will be ready when it looks translucent and is soft, not crunchy, to bite. Don’t feel like you need to use all the stock if you don’t need it!
Add peas and parmesan and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir into the risotto for around 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
To another pan, on a medium heat, add the last 50 grams of butter and the lemon slices. Cook the lemon slices on each side until they become soft and golden brown and until the butter becomes brown. Pour this over the risotto and garnish with some crumbled feta and parsley if you’re feeling boujee!