From the cookbook Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- few basil sprigs, leaves only
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- squeeze of lemon juice
- generous 2-2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- scant 1 cup risotto rice such as carnaroli, arborio, or vialone nano
- generous 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 7oz wild mushrooms, cleaned and halved or sliced if large
- 2-3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
Directions
- Heat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with foil. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and score the flesh in a crisscross pattern. Arrange cut side up on the sheet. Season lightly and sprinkle over the garlic slices and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the zucchini are soft. Let them cool slightly, then roughly chop the flesh.
- For the risotto, bring the stock to a simmer in a pan. Heat another medium pan and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring, for a minute. Pour in the wine and let it bubble to reduce down until the pan is quite dry. Now add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Let the rice absorb most of the stock in the pan before adding another ladleful.
- When the rice is al dente, stir in the chopped zucchini and turn off the heat. Let the risotto stand for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a wide skillet and add 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil. Tip in the mushrooms, season, and toss over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they are golden brown and any moisture released has been cooked off. Mix the mushrooms into the risotto, adding a little more boiling stock if you prefer a “wet risotto.” Stir in most of the Parmesan and adjust the seasoning.
- Divide the risotto among warm plates and sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan. Serve with a bottle of Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz Grenache.
