Saffron Risotto

• porce: 2

Ingredience

200g (14oz) spinach leaves

50g (31/2oz) butter

1 garlic clove, crushed to a paste with a little sea salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 celery stalks, finely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

175g (12oz) carnaroli rice

75 ml (5fl oz) dry white wine about 1.5 litres (52fl oz) hot

vegetable stock

0,05g saffron

50g (31/2oz) parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve

Pokyny

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach leaves and cook until the water comes back to a boil. Drain the spinach in a colander then use a wooden spoon to squeeze out all the excess water. Once the spinach feels dry, roughly chop it and set it aside.

Melt half the butter in a small saucepan and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the spinach and set aside.

Heat the oil in large straight-sided saucepan over a medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook them for 3 minutes, then add the carnaroli rice. Cook the rice for 3 minutes so that it absorbs the olive oil and turns translucent. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. A ladleful at a time, add the vegetable stock, making sure that the rice is always just covered. After about 10 minutes, add the saffron, stirring it into the risotto. Keep adding the vegetable stock, stirring between each addition, until the rice has a nice bite but is not fully cooked.

Add the remaining butter and the parmesan, stirring to coat the rice. Add a bit more stock so that the risotto feels wet and creamy. Place a tight-fitting lid on the risotto pan and leave it for 2 minutes to finish cooking off the heat.

Serve the risotto in warmed bowls, topped with the buttery, garlicky spinach and with a little extra parmesan on the side.