Wild garlic is everywhere at the moment, you'll be able to smell it when you're walking I'm sure. It likes to grow in woodland around the base of trees and its such a delicious and delicate flavour and theres so much you can do with it! Its really easy to identify, once it has flowered it can still be used too! If you're not sure if you've got the right plant just break a bit up in your hands and the smell will be a strong tell tale. I added some mushrooms for a bit of variation in the texture but it would be just as good without them.Ingredients:
150g arborio risotto rice (rinsed)
1 onion
30g butter
60ml white wine
6 or 7 closed cup mushrooms (or chestnut mushrooms)50 or so leaves of wild garlic
1.5 litres chicken stock
30g grated parmesan
Splash of double cream
Method:
Start making this like a normal risotto, sweat the diced onion with a small amount of the butter (reserving some for the end) and some oil, then add the sliced mushrooms. Once these are cooked add the rice and stir until its all coated in the fats and add the wine over a high heat and stir quickly. The alcohol will evaporate quickly but the acidic flavour will be absorbed by the rice giving a lovely flavour, then gradually add the chicken stock continuing the stirring over a lower heat. Once the rice is almost done (about 15 minutes quite al dente) add some chopped wild garlic to get the flavour in. I wanted the risotto to have a good green colour so I wilted half the garlic and blended it to make a pulp. I added this right at the end with the finishing touches.
The rice may need a bit more stock after this, make sure you taste the rice and check its properly done. Once it is done, add the blended garlic then add the butter (it may look like a lot of butter but it adds such a good velvety texture and flavour.) Then the parmesan and the cream. Season and then taste again as I see risotto as a personal thing and you may need to add more cheese or butter. If the blended garlic is in the risotto for too long it will lose its bright green colour.
As this dish is green it doesn't look so nice with green cresses so I picked some colourful pansies to make it look prettier, but thats a matter of opinion.
