Zucchini risotto with smoked salmon

(serves 2-3)

There's something very therapeutic about making risotto on a Friday night after a long week at work. I think it is because it takes a bit of time, a bit of TLC, is fairly uncomplicated and gives me a bit of time to wind down with a glass of wine in hand.  The result is always rewarding, especially when i see my hubby gobble it down in 5 min! :)

Prep time: 15min

Cooking time: 30-40 min

Ingredients
3-4 zucchini
1/2 broccoli
400mL chicken stock
500mL water
1 brown onion
2 garlic cloves
1 C arborio rice
1 T olive oil
20g butter
50-80mL white wine
dash of cream
100g smoked salmon or pancetta (optional)
handful of toasted pine nuts, to serve

Method
1. Cut 2 zucchini and the broccoli up into bite-size slices. Heat in the water and chicken stock for 3 minutes or until warm.
2. Finely dice the onion and garlic.
3. Heat a deep saucepan with half the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add in the rice and stir until the rice is slightly translucent.
4. Slowly add a ladle of stock in at a time (including the vegetables) and stir over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed, then add another ladle in until all the stock is added. Stir in the wine and the cream and keep on the heat for another 2min. 
NB. Continue to check the texture of the rice, once the rice is al denté then remove from the heat immediately otherwise it'll become too mushy!

Using our fancy new risotto pan, a lovely wedding present!

5. Cut up the remaining zucchini into thick circles, then quarter each circle. In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil and butter and shallow-fry the zucchini with salt, pepper and thyme and a pinch of sugar.

6. To serve, separate the risotto into bowls, then top with zucchini quarters, sprinkle of pine nuts and either smoked salmon or pancetta strips if desired.

Smoked salmon, the new healthy version of pancetta

Or the vego version, with a nice glass of Tassie Riesling!