Recipes: Cheesy Leek and Tomato & Chorizo Risotto

Risotto can be the perfect dish to make if you are looking to unwind after a long and hectic day at work, and although it is often deemed as being rather difficult to get right, I find it incredibly therapeutic and comforting to cook.

As well as being relatively simple to take care of once the preparation stage has been completed, meaning that a glass of wine can easily be held and sipped whilst the rice is simmering, risotto is also very versatile. This means that you can dress the rice grains with a wide range of ingredients, enabling you to explore different combinations of flavours and textures to satisfy different tastes and preferences.

As a lover of cheese and leeks, one of my favourites is cheesy leek risotto. To add some colour, flavour and texture variation, I finish the dish with cubed chunks of roasted sweet potato.

Cheesy Leek Risotto with Sweet Potato Bites

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 3-4 handfuls of rice (I find it much easier to measure rice by hand. I would say 3 handfuls is enough for two, but if you’re extra peckish go for four. Remember rice is a starchy carbohydrate and it will leave your tum feeling full without needing a great amount)
• 1 onion
• 1 leek
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 stock cube (I tend to use vegetable)
• 50g cheese (I use cheddar for this dish, but you could go for a stronger flavour with stilton, or just use whatever your favourite is! Soft cheese, such as Philadelphia, would also work well, particularly if it has added flavour, e.g. garlic & herb)
• 1 sweet potato

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, and prepare ingredients and equipment.

2. Peel and chop the sweet potato into small, even-sized chunks (about 1cm³), finely chop the onion, and slice the leek into even-sized pieces (I tend to cut vertically down the centre of the leek, and then cut across, making the slices about 5mm thick).

3. Spread the sweet potato chunks over a baking tray and toss in one tablespoon of oil until evenly coated. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, moving and turning the chunks occasionally to make sure that they cook evenly.

4. Make one litre of stock using boiling water. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large pan (I use a deep frying pan) over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for two minutes. Add the rice and mix with the onion to coat in oil.

5. Gradually add the stock, stirring occasionally so that the rice cooks evenly and does not stick to the bottom of the pan. When half of the stock has been used, add the leeks, and then continue adding the remaining stock.

6. When all of the stock has been absorbed, test the consistency of the rice. Some people like a little crunch, so testing during cooking will ensure the correct consistency is achieved. If the rice is not quite cooked, add a little extra water, and test again when it has been absorbed.

7. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and mix in a handful of grated cheese. Avoid adding too much cheese as this will make the risotto sloppy!

8. Plate up the risotto, and finish with the roasted sweet potato chunks. I also like some freshly ground black pepper on mine before serving.

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Risotto can also be a perfect dish to make with leftover ingredients (worth bearing in mind for Christmas!), and the other day I combined some spare chorizo with tomato and chilli to make a risotto with a slight kick. 

Tomato & Chorizo Risotto

 

 Ingredients (serves 2)

• 3-4 handfuls of rice
• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 carton chopped tomatoes
• 100g chorizo
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder (you could use more, but don’t override the taste of the chorizo with too much spice. 1 teaspoon adds a little warmth without being overpowering. You could obviously also use fresh chilli if you prefer the taste)
• 1 tablespoons oil
• 1 stock cube (I tend to use vegetable)
• Handful of coriander

Method

1. Prepare ingredients and equipment.

2. Finely chop the onion, and chop the pepper into evenly-sized small cubed pieces. Slice the chorizo into even-sized pieces (I prefer small chunks, but you may prefer it in more substantial pieces).

3. Make one litre of stock using boiling water. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for two minutes. Add the rice and mix with the onion to coat in oil, followed by the pepper and chorizo.

4. Mix through the chopped tomatoes to start off the simmering process, and the 1 teaspoon chilli powder. Then gradually add the stock, stirring occasionally so that the rice cooks evenly and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. When all of the stock has been absorbed, test the consistency of the rice. If it is not quite cooked, add a little extra water, and test again when it has been absorbed.

6. When the rice is cooked, plate up the risotto. Finish off with some finely chopped parsley to add colour before serving.