Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small brown onion (peeled and chopped finely)
  • 1 clove garlic (peeled and crushed)
  • 150 g (5.5 oz) Arborio rice
  • 75 ml (2.5 fl oz) white wine (optional, replace with stock if you'd prefer)
  • 600 ml (7 fl oz) vegetable stock (use vegetable bouillon for gluten free)
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • ½ block halloumi (sliced)
  • 30 g (1 oz) Italian style vegetarian hard cheese (grated (or Parmesan if you prefer - note Parmesan isn't vegetarian))
  • Juice of ½ a lemon
  • Good pinch of salt and black pepper
  • 1 packed cup baby spinach
  • 1 packed cup watercress
  • Small handful of fresh basil (roughly torn)
  • Small handful of fresh parsley (roughly torn)
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instruction

  • Heat 1tbsp of oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion starts to go translucent.
  • Add in the garlic, stir and cook for a further minute.
  • Add in the rice and stir until the oil has coated the rice.
  • Add in the wine and stir. Wait for the wine to almost fully absorb (stirring regularly) and then add the stock a ladle at a time - ensuring each ladle has almost fully absorbed before adding the next. Ensure you stir regularly. This should take approx 15-20 mins.
  • Once you've used up all the stock, have a taste of the rice. It should be softer, but still have a bit of a bite to it . If the rice is still far too hard, you can add in a ladle or so of hot water from the kettle. Once the risotto is cooked, turn the heat down to very low.
  • Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small frying pan and add in the halloumi. Cook on a medium-to-high heat for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
  • Whilst the halloumi is cooking, go back to your risotto. Add in the parmesan, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Give everything a good stir then turn off the heat and gently stir in the spinach, watercress, basil and parsley.
  • Divde the risotto between 2 plates and top with the fried halloumi.
  • Serve sprinkled with lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice and some freshly ground black pepper.