It is really chilly in Perth today – delightful! But it does trigger the desire for some serious comfort food.

I have been working really hard to add some more vegan meals into our regular menu – so we’ve been eating a lot of mushrooms. I also have copious amounts of lemon and thyme from my garden – so risotto it is!

• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock (for an instant variety I use ‘Massel’ stock powder)
• 4 tbsp garlic olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely diced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chooped
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2 cups chopped green beans
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp pink salt
• 1/3 tsp ground black pepper
• fine zest and juice of 1 lemon
• OPTIONAL – 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

In a large, heavy based pan, heat 1 tsbp of oil. Add in the mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme and lemon zest.

Cook down until the mushroom are just tender. Set them aside.

Bring the stock to boil in a saucepan then turn it down to the lowest possible simmer.

In the same pan that you used for the mushrooms, heat the remaining oil and add in the onion. Cook, stirring for a couple of minutes until the onion is just soft.

Add rice and stir for about 1 minute, ensuring the rice in coated with the onion mix.

Add in the juice of the lemon and stir well, to deglaze the bottom of the pan.

Add approx 1/2 cup of stock at a time to the rice and stir consistently over a low/medium heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy and just tender.

Meanwhile, lightly steam the green beans.

Remove risotto from as you add the final half cup of stock. Stir through the mushrooms and beans, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Top with hazelnuts if your diet allows.

Serve immediately. Feeds 5-6 adults.

If your diet allows it, you could also stir though a handful of finely grated parmesan cheese before the mushrooms…. but I think it is creamy and flavourful enough without it!

Enjoy 🙂