GF: SF: V

Serves 4 as an entree

75g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion (150g), finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 (170g) zucchini, grated

1 cup (200g) risotto rice

1 litre vegetable stock

6 zucchini flowers

1 bunch asparagus, spears cut into 3’s

1 cup pecorino, shaved

1 tablespoon oregano leaves

Heat the vegetable stock in a small saucepan.

Heat the olive oil and 15g of butter in a medium sized saucepan. Add in the onion and garlic and cook slowly for 7-8 minutes. You want them to soften but not brown. Add in the grated zucchini and continue to cook slowly for a further 7 mins.

Increase the heat and pour in the rice. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until the rice is slightly translucent.

Add in the first ladle of stock and a good pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the liquid to completely absorb before adding in the next ladleful of stock. Continue this process one ladleful at a time, checking the rice as you go. This process should take approximately 15 minutes. When the rice is almost cooked add in the zucchini flowers and asparagus so that they blanch in the liquid.

The trick is to leave a small amount of liquid when you remove the risotto from the heat. Once cooked and removed from the heat stir in the remaining butter, shaved pecorino and oregano leaves. Season well and place a lid on top and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and serve.