What do you put in your vegetable risotto?

[shadypines]

I've made mushroom risotto but not a vegetable one so just wondered what worked well. Also, do you tend to put your veg in near the start or further on in the cooking time? Thanks.

Butternut squash is lovely. I roast the squash first and then put it in near the end.
I top it with crispy bacon.

Can't have a risotto without petit pois

Caramelised fennel is good

Asparagus, I tend to blanche it first then put in nearish the end.

Some great ideas, thanks all.

Broad beans and parmesan

Roast baby plum tomatoes with garlic and thyme

Risotto Primavera - assorted spring veggies (e.g. asparagus, fresh peas, zucchini, fennel, sugar snap peas, broad beans.) Asparagus and zucchini seared briefly separately, then added near the end. Liquid: cooking water from white asparagus if available, else chicken stock, plus white wine or better Noilly Prat. At the very end add lots of herbs (chervil, tarragon, lemon balm, parsley.)

Apart from the base of onions garlic and broth, I add

Carrots (small julienne or grated) and ginger
Pumpkin (roasted as PP)
Asparagus
Spinach
Griddled Treviso radicchio
Tomatoes and lots of butter. (Specially for children and invalids).

I saw a recipe for leek and pea risotto and made it. Was a good combination

This marmite risotto with roasted tomatoes is delicious and the marmite stock makes a nice change from typical vegetable stocks.

I also love risotto with corn and chilli.

I second butternut squash. I cube and roast half the squash. The other half I cook until soft in the stock. Then ladle the stock into the rice a bit at a time as you cook it. Finish off mashing the squash and mixing it in. Top with roasted cubes.

I also make a lot of tomato risottos when I have a glut in the summer. Make the risotto as usual using stock/wine then at the end mix in tomatoes that I've roasted in the oven in olive oil with garlic and herbs.

So many ideas! Regarding tomatoes, does anyone used tinned or are you all talking fresh chopped/ cooked tomato?

Oh fresh of course! Tinned would be a bit grim. As I mentioned I roast my home grown tomatoes in the oven with garlic and herbs then stir them into the cooked risotto rice.

My favourites are asparagus, courgette and beetroot (separately - I like one vegetable at a time in a risotto). I really enjoy making the beetroot one with the sort of beetroot that has vinegar added or adding my own vinegar, but I will admit that is a bit of an acquired taste!

Leek and taleggio is very good too.

Thanks for clearing up re tomato Hedgerow2. Toastofthetown the marmite one sounding intriguing!

Asparagus, broccoli bits, spinach, petit pois, sugarsnap peas, mange tout, green beans, courgette. Anything green and about 3 different kinds is enough.

Decent tinned tomatoes are fine! Saves all that growing your own, picking your own, roasting your own, etc, etc. Mutti or Cirio are good and the whole peeled ones are best, just drain and roughly chop.

Broad beans and peas.

Mushroom and leek - dried porcini mushrooms give a really nice flavour.

Asparagus and pea

Butternut squash , thyme and feta

I always use marmite stock.

I do a beetroot and feta risotto and a roasted butternut squash and chilli flakes risotto.
In both cases I mash/blend some of the vegetable and stir into the rice whilst it is cooking, then chop more of the veg into chunks to add at the end - just enough time for it to warm through. The feta is crumbled in at the end in the beetroot one.

I am keen to try out a lot of these ideas!

If I do asparagus risotto, I put the woody stems in with the veg stock while I'm making it. Adds extra flavour.

Pea risotto, courtesy of Monica on Masterchef professionals, I create a pea mash and then add THAT to the risotto at the end. Makes it fabulous. And bright green!

Sundried!! Soooo much better

IMO the aim of risotto is to add as much flavour to the rice as possible. After all it’s bland and makes up 70%+ of the volume. So go crazy with stock, wine, herbs, roasted and dried ingredients, taste it near the end of cooking time and round the flavours out with black pepper, frozen peas, cheese, parsley etc.
Salt at the end and keep it flowy,not stodgy.

BTW tinned tomatoes are fine for a quick family tomato risotto, it’s the butter and oregano that make it tasty!
I make mine in the pressure cooker, so even faster. Keep it liquid to avoid sticking and evaporate/adjust flavours at the end.