Bulked-up pea risotto

Ingredients:

• Glug oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 cup (250ml) arborio or risotto rice
• 1 cup (250ml) pearl barley
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• ½ cup (125ml) white wine
• 6 cups (1.5L) warm vegetable stock
• Salt and milled pepper
• 2 cups (500ml) frozen peas
• ⅔ head (200g) broccoli, grated or blitzed
• ½ cup (125ml) parmesan or vegan parmesan, grated
• Grated peel of 1 lemon
• Fresh mint and parsley, chopped, for serving

Method

1. Heat oil in a pot and sauté onions for 5-8 minutes, until soft and golden.
2. Add garlic and fry for another minute.
3. Stir in rice, barley and thyme and cook until it smells nutty, about 3 minutes.
4. Add wine to deglaze pot, cooking until liquid has almost evaporated.
5. Add stock 1 ladle at a time, cooking and stirring with each addition until liquid is totally absorbed. This will take about 20 minutes.
6. Once rice and barley are tender, season and add peas and broccoli, stirring to cook lightly, making sure they retain colour (about 2-3 minutes).
7. Serve risotto with parmesan and a scattering of lemon zest and fresh herbs.

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