Carrot, Sage & Thyme risotto with Ashen Goats Cheese

This is one of my girly recipes that only comes out when Mr Bake and Bloom is away on business or I have a girlfriend coming over, it’s just too pretty for men to appreciate. (And Mr Bake & Bloom tells me off about the insane amounts of butter I use when I cook, that’s why he is so cute & skinny nowadays) If you’ve always been scared of preparing risotto as many people are don’t be…I mean, if you can work a spoon you can make risotto. The key to making it nice & smooth is not to break apart the rice (which makes the rice gluggy), I tend to never lift my spoon from the bottom of the saucepan that way I am not smashing up the little pieces of rice, merely massaging the starch from them.

I am not a real fan of cheesy risottos so this one really ticks all my boxes with just a crumbling of ash coated goats cheese (if you can’t get the soft ash coated kind just use any soft mild goats cheese) & some beautiful little purple thyme flowers.

Carrot, Sage & Thyme risotto with Ashen Goats Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of arborio rice
• 2 & 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup verjuice or a sweet young white wine
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• 1 large brown onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped sage + extra leaves for garnish
• 3 thyme sprigs + extra for garnish (if you can get it with flowers on it looks super pretty)
• Ashen goats cheese
• 1 heaped tsbp of butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt & white pepper

Method:

1. Bring the stock & verjuice to a slow boil in a saucepan & then turn down to a very low heat
2. Peel & dice the onion & roughly chop the garlic & add to a large saute pan with the oil, butter (save about a teaspoon) & garlic over medium-low heat
3. When the onion is softened add the rice & stir until sticky & translucent
4. Using a ladle add one spoonful of stock & gently stir into the risotto until adsorbed, repeat with another ladle of stock
5. Continue adding stock & stirring frequently until rice is about half cooked (about 12-15 mins) & add the grated carrot & herbs
6. Continue adding stock until the rice is soft, add the last ladle of stock & turn the heat off. (about 28-35 mins)
7. Add the reserved butter, salt & pepper to taste & allow to rest with a lid on for 3-4 minutes
8. Serve topped with extra herbs & crumbled goats cheese & a cold glass of pinot gris