Roasted Carrot and Pesto Risotto

Oh my oh my oh my – a dish that admittedly sounds a bit hmm but tastes a lot of mmm!

This risotto was born out of a cupboard scratch around (hello to my 77p bank balance!) and is arguably one of my new favourites! It has a delicate balance of flavours, and is oh so perfect for warming up with on these sudden chilly nights! Oh for my hands to warm just for once please! Roll on summer 2012!

The risotto is so cheap to make but doesn't taste it and it won’t be long before I will be cooking this one again!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

4 small to medium sized carrots (mine came from Osterley park farm shop – can highly recommend!)
1 large white onion, finely diced
150g arborio rice
½ glass vermouth
A 1cm slice of garlic butter
Spray oil
1 vegetable knorr stock pot, dissolved in 1.25 litres of boiling water
3 heaped teaspoons green pesto
2 generous tbsp. of freshly grated grana padano

Pre-heat you oven to 180o

Firstly, sauté your onion over a moderate heat in the garlic butter and a good few sprays of oil, until softened but not too golden.

Meanwhile spray a little more oil on a baking tray, take 4 carrots, chop into half, then halve again, and cut into ½ cm or so dice. Place on oiled tray and squirt with another 4-5 sprays of oil. Roast for 20 minutes, giving a shake halfway

When the onion has softened, add the vermouth and allow the alcohol to burn off, stir in the rice and a ladle of stock. Simmer over a gentle heat until absorbed, and repeat until the rice is cooked through- I like mine fairly soft, around 25 minutes. Use a little more hot water if needed to loosen the rice.

When the ‘base’ is ready, stir in the carrots and pesto, plus most of the cheese, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately garnished with any remaining cheese.

I daresay some pretty little herb leaves would finish this dish off perfectly, but sadly it was not in the budget!

Reheats very well the next day!