i like to think of myself as a risotto aficionado. i pride myself on achieving the perfect risotto texture, the pursuit of which can only be described as a labour of love. this texture is referred to as “oozy” (colloquial term), or in other words must-be-able-to-spread-around-the-plate-or-bowl-it-sits-on (technical term). i will stop at nothing to achieve the ultimate MBATSATPOBISO (catchy, abbreviated term) texture. i laugh in the face of the absorption method, and sneer at those who question how i can be bothered to stand at the stove, stirring intermittently for half an hour. i will not stand while large pieces of meat balance on lumps of cooked arborio, and dare not speaketh the word ‘stodgy.’ yes, i am a risotto aficionado.

surprisingly and unfortunately, those who know me don’t see it this way. in fact, they have another name for the risotto aficionado. it’s, well… ‘control freak.’ okay, i’ll admit it, i can be a little intense when it comes to how i liked my risotto cooked, but that’s because it only takes one too few ladles of stock or one heat setting too high to turn a delicious meal in to a disappointing one.

spring risotto w/ asparagus, broad beans, peas, lemon zest, pancetta crisp & mint  

having said all that, here are my tips to obtaining the perfect level of MBATSATPOBISO:

1. cook risotto on a gentle-medium heat.
2. stir often, but not constantly. too much “massaging” of the spoon can damage the rice grains, releasing too much starch, causing considerable stodge. a little starch= good. a lot= bad.
3. only add a ladle of stock when the previous one has already absorbed into the risotto. also, make sure the stock is simmering, otherwise it will lower the temperature of the rice and, again, cause considerable stodge.
4. once risotto is cooked to your liking, remove from heat completely, before adding a knob of butter and a handful of grated parmesan cheese. stir gently, put the lid on, and wait a few minutes. now, even if you have taken utmost care throughout the cooking process, things can often take an unpleasant turn at this stage. if you check your risotto after a few minutes and it has gone to the land of stodge, simply add one more ladle of stock, give it a gentle stir and it should be fine. stock is your friend. 
5. don’t let your risotto texture obsession get out of hand. if this happens, simply drink one glass of white wine, sit down and try to avoid yelling at your guests. too much of this can cause considerable friendship stodge— the worst of all: no amount of stock can save that. 

hope these tips help whomever may be reading them. now, crack open the arborio and get ladling!

vegan bolognese- grain of salt

this holiday period i have been delighted to have a dear friend home, back from california. this friend happens to be a vegan coeliac. just one of these dietary requirements is hard enough to live with, let alone both. i, however really enjoy the challenge of creating wholesome meals for her that fit her dietary needs, particularly when she is so incredibly grateful & likes everything (winning qualities in a guest, most cooks will agree).

this bolognese is one of my favourite of the aforementioned dairy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free recipes, which i made again the other day. now, i know a vegan bolognese will sound like a travesty for most italians/chefs/meat-lovers/bolognese aficionados but after several experiments, i can safely say this tastes as good as any bolognese out there. 

here’s how it’s done:

take one small tub of dried porcini mushrooms and place in a small bowl. cover well with boiling water and set aside. a dark liquid will form in the bowl. meanwhile, heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large saucepan. add one large chopped onion, four chopped garlic cloves, the leaves of one bunch of thyme, and two teaspoons of chilli flakes. cook until onions are translucent. add a grated carrot, grated zucchini and two cups of chopped button mushrooms and cook for five minutes. toss in the two tins of drained black lentils and stir. season generously with salt and pepper.

next, pour in the ‘stock’ made from the porcini mushrooms. remove the mushrooms from the bowl and chop roughly, before adding them to the bolognese. stir. add two cans of diced tomatoes and three tablespoons of tomato paste, then pour in a cup or two (or three) of red wine. cover all of the ingredients now added with vegetable stock, bring to the boil and stir. lower the heat (quite low) and simmer, with the pot covered.

the longer this cooks the better it will be. i recommend at least four hours. it doesn’t need as long as a meat lasagne but still, the flavours will benefit from a good, long cooking period. once the tomatoes & the stock have come together to form a nice, rich tomato-ey (not a word) sauce, it is ready. season to taste, toss in a large handful of fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley and serve with your favourite pasta. if you are on a gluten free diet i recommend rice or quinoa pasta. if you’re not a vegan, top with lashings of fresh parmesan.

this recipe will make a generous amount. it will serve four with considerable leftovers.i love it the next day on top of a crusty piece of toasted sourdough.  

note: no animals or gluten were harmed in the making of this recipe.