Pea and Pancetta Risotto

A great summer recipe – fresh spring pea risotto with the rich smokiness of pancetta and a little basil to finish.

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Pea and Pancetta Risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

300g Carnaroli Rice, 25ml Olive Oil, 300g Pancetta (Thinly Sliced and Diced), 3 Celery Stalks (Finely Diced), 2 Long Shallots (Finely Diced), 2 Garlic Cloves (Very Finely Sliced), 175ml Rosé Wine, 2 Litres Vegetable Stock, 200g Freshly Shelled Peas, 50g Parmesan (Finely Grated), 25g Unsalted Butter, 12 Basil Leaves (Finely Chopped), 8 Thin Pancetta Slices, Cracked Black Pepper

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Method:

1) Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a large saucepan. Place a heavy based casserole pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the pancetta to the pan and fry for around 8 minutes or until crisp. Add the celery, onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes until soft – stirring continuously. Meanwhile, crisp the pancetta slices under a hot grill and set aside.

2) Add the rice to the pan and coat well with the olive oil. Turn the heat up high and add the wine, simmering until almost entirely absorbed by the rice. Reduce the heat to low and add the stock, little by little (allowing the stock to be almost entirely absorbed by the rice before adding more) whist stirring until the rice is tender but has a little bite – this should take around 20-25 minutes. The risotto may not require all of the stock.

3) Remove the pan from the heat and add the peas, parmesan, butter and basil. Fold to combine, cover the pan with a heavy lid and allow to rest for 6 minutes. Once rested, beat the risotto a few times and season to taste with cracked black pepper.

4) Serve the risotto with a good crack of black pepper, a sprinkling of parmesan and the crisp pancetta slices.

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Venison Loin, Pea Purée

A delicious and simple dish of roasted venison loin with pea purée, buttered sprouting broccoli, pancetta and black pudding.

Great served with spiced wedges and charred shallots.

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Venison Loin, Pea Purée
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1kg Venison Loin, 400g Fresh Peas, 50g Unsalted Butter, 350g Purple Sprouting Broccoli, 10g Salted Butter, 75g Pancetta (Diced), 200g Black Pudding (Cubed), Sea Salt, Cracked Black Pepper, Fresh Thyme, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 190c. Remove the venison from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for around 20 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the peas in a pan of salted water until tender and drain (reserving the cooking liquor). Transfer the peas to a blender, add 25g of the butter and enough cooking liquor to loosen. Blend to a fine purée and pass into a clean bowl. Season to taste with sea salt and keep warm.

2) Season the venison with sea salt and black pepper and seal in a hot pan with a little oil for around 3 minutes each side. Add the remaining butter and baste the meat with the melted butter. Transfer to the oven and roast until cooked to your liking.

3) Meanwhile, crisp the pancetta and black pudding in a little oil in a hot pan for around 10 minutes and set aside.

4) When the venison is cooked, remove from the oven and wrap in kitchen foil – allow to rest for around 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly steam the broccoli before combining with the salted butter and season to taste with sea salt.

5) Slice the venison and serve with the pea purée, broccoli, pancetta and black pudding. Top the venison with a few thyme leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

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Enjoy!

Pea Risotto

Risotto is the ultimate in impressive comfort food and this pea risotto is no exception! Using pea purée as the base makes for a richly flavour and luxurious risotto.

Great topped with crispy smoked bacon, this would make a cracking dinner party starter or main.

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Pea Risotto
Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Purée: 150g Frozen Peas, 1tbsp Unsalted Butter, Reserved Cooking Water, Sea Salt, Cracked Black Pepper

For the Risotto: 250g Risotto Rice, 1 Onion (Finely Chopped), 1 Garlic Clove (Crushed), 1 Celery Stick (Finely Chopped), 450ml Vegetable Stock, 100ml White Wine, 1tbsp Unsalted Butter, 4tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese, 75g Frozen Peas, Sea Salt, Cracked Black Pepper, Crispy Smoked Bacon (Optional)

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Method:

1) Make the purée by blanching the peas in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until tender. Drain (reserving the cooking water) and transfer to a blender. Add the butter and blend, slowly add the cooking water until a pouring consistency is achieved. Season to taste and set aside.

2) Place a deep pan or casserole over a medium heat. Add a little olive oil and fry the onion, garlic and celery for 10 minutes until soft. Add the rice and coat well in the oil. Add the white wine and allow to reduce by half (ensuring the alcohol has burnt off).

3) Add the pea purée a little at a time, stirring continuously until some of the liquid has been absorbed (it will not dry out completely). Once the pea purée has been exhausted, gradually add the vegetable stock, stirring continuously, allowing the stock to be absorbed before each addition. Continue this until the rice is tender (around 25 minutes). Once the rice is tender, remove from the heat and add the butter, peas and parmesan. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Stir well to combine and season to taste before serving.

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Enjoy!