Goat’s Cheese and Hazelnut Risotto

100g hazelnuts, roasted
45ml grated parmesan
45ml olive oil
10 drops sesame oil
5ml red wine vinegar
a pinch of salt

100g goat’s cheese
45ml cream

50g kale, thick stalks removed
50g baby spinach
50g basil leaves
75ml olive oil

1,5 litres vegetable stock
45ml butter
45ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
200g arborio rice
80ml white wine
50g parmesan cheese, grated

For the hazelnut topping:
Place the hazelnuts in a pestle and mortar and grind it to a coarse texture. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar you may chop the nuts with a knife but make sure that you have a good mix of fine and coarse texture.
Add the parmesan cheese, olive oil, sesame oil, red wine vinegar and salt and stir through. Set aside.

For the goat’s cheese topping:
Break up the cheese into a small bowl, add the cream and mix through to loosen the cheese slightly. Set aside.

For the green sauce:
Blanche the kale and spinach in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes.
Drain and run under cold water until cool.
Add to a bowl with the basil and olive oil and blitz to a paste/sauce with an immersion blender. Set aside.

Pour the stock into a saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer.
Place a large, wide saucepan on medium-high heat and add the butter and oil.
Wait for the butter to melt and add the onion.
Cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the rice and stir to coat for 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and wait for it to evaporate.
Add about 125ml of stock (two soup ladles) to the risotto, stir it around until most of the liquid has been absorbed and then add some stock again. Keep going – adding stock, stirring until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
Add the kale mixture to the risotto and stir until the risotto is bright green.
Spoon the risotto on to serving plates and top with some hazelnut mixture and a generous dollop of goat’s cheese.

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