Yum. I haven’t had risotto for such a long time and, inspired by Kia Ora Magazine’s August issue, decided to make my own adaption of this very delicious sounding recipe, and delicious tasting as it happens!
Thankfully cauliflower is available year round. While I haven’t had much luck growing it myself, I haven’t completely given up. Beaten by slugs with earlier efforts, my seedlings have never really had a decent start in life. While I continue to persevere, I enjoy picking up a fresh cauli from the farmers’ market or supermarket relatively cheaply this time of year.
Cauliflower comes from the Latin word meaning ‘cabbage flower’. It’s a member of the brassica family (so that includes the likes of cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprout and the broccoflower – a mixed hybrid of cauliflower and broccoli, sporting bright green florets).
This recipe calls for cauliflower to be blended into a thick puree and folded through the risotto. In this smoothie form, cauliflower is super useful in a range of recipes — cleverly disguising the vegetable (for younger members of the family who would rather not recognise it as one). Pureed cauli has been enjoyed as a base to a lasagne sauce, used as thickener for casseroles and stews, and as a hero in soups like my recent Cauliflower & Leek recipe. Soften cauliflower first before whizzing in the food processor (either steam or boil will soften it nicely) and you may like to add a dash of vegetable stock, cream, minced garlic and seasoning to give it extra ooomph.
While you certainly can use rice, I’ve used rosmarino pasta for this recipe, which is similar to Orzo (the pasta that looks like large grains of rice). I’ve also added a generous garnish of mint, setting off the cauli and peas perfectly.
Depending on the risotto recipe, some call for constant stirring while others suggest a ‘cover and leave’ approach. I tend to think a combination of the two works best! Well, it did for me.
Minted Cauliflower Risotto
Ingredients
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 50g butter
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 cups rosmarino pasta (500g packet)*
- 1 glass white wine
- 1/2 large cauliflower
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup peas
- shaved Parmesan, to serve
- mint, to serve
- freshly cracked pepper
Method
- Heat the vegetable stock in a medium saucepan.
- Firstly, cut the cauliflower florets into small pieces, and along with 1 cup of the vegetable stock and cream, add to a large saucepan. Cover and allow to simmer. It doesn’t matter if the cooked cauliflower begins to over-cook and disintegrate slightly as both the vegetable and the goodness that has seeped into the stock will eventually be blended together into a puree. While you are waiting for the cauliflower to cook, you can prepare the risotto.
- In a large fry pan melt butter with oil over a medium heat. Add spring onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes until soft. Add the dry pasta and fold through the butter mix so that every grain is well coated. Allow to heat through for around 5 minutes stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Add wine, and allow to absorb and stir for a further few minutes. Add 5 cups of remaining hot vegetable stock to the pasta. Stir well and cover. Cook for around 10 minutes and ensure you stir every 3-4 minutes to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom and potentially burn.
- In the last few minutes, add peas. At this time the cauliflower will be well cooked. Transfer both the cauliflower and liquid to a food process and blend into a creamy puree.
- Fold puree into the risotto.
- To serve, sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese, freshly cracked pepper and a generous handful of roughly chopped, or whole small mint leaves.
