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Saffron risotto recipe

Saffron risotto recipe

15 ratings

This vegetarian saffron risotto has everything you love about spring – fresh asparagus tips, fennel and zesty lemon. The cheese adds creaminess to this simple risotto recipe, while the boiled eggs add a boost of protein, and a handful of flat leaf parsley gives the dish a fresh lift. See method

Ingredients

  • 50g butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 pinches saffron
  • 300g arborio rice
  • 150ml white wine
  • 1ltr vegetable stock, using 2 stock cubes
  • 2 fennel bulbs, sliced into thin wedges
  • 250g asparagus tips
  • zest 1 lemon, plus juice for serving
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 tbsp finely grated vegetarian hard cheese or Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • olive oil, for drizzling
Risotto rice can always be swapped for paella rice

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    3525kj
    841kcal     42%

  • Fat

    37g 52%

  • Saturates

    16g 82%

  • Sugars

    9g 10%

  • Salt

    3.6g 60%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 97.1g Protein 29.9g Fibre 2.5g

Method

  1. Heat the butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat until melted, add the onions and cook until soft. Meanwhile, mix the saffron with 2 tbsp hot water and allow to infuse. Pour the rice into the frying pan and stir, coating the rice well. Add the white wine and saffron water and cook for 2 mins.
  2. Pour in 200ml stock, stir and let the rice soak up the liquid. Repeat until you have used up all the stock, stirring continuously. Meanwhile, turn the grill to a medium-high setting. Place the fennel and asparagus on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, add the lemon zest and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Toss together and place under the grill for 8-10 mins or until crisp and golden.
  3. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the eggs and cook for 4½ mins for soft boiled or 5½ mins for hard. Drain, peel and slice in half. Add the grated cheese to the risotto and season to taste. Serve the risotto in wide bowls, top with the fennel, asparagus and eggs. Sprinkle over the parsley and remaining cheese, and squeeze over some lemon juice to finish.

Tip: The risotto should be creamy and thick, but wet – if it becomes dry, add a splash of water.

See more Risotto recipes

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