May 2008 Grocery Challenge

Tashja wrote: »

Please can I have the recipe for the risotto ???

This is something I have been dying to try out

T xx

Of course, its dead easy.

Slice or chop an onion.

Make up your stock or heat it up (I have mine simmering on the hob next to the risotto pot)

Fry the onion gently in oil for about 5 mins.

Turn up the heat. Add your rice. I use arborio rice but you can use carnaroli or Vialone nano Tesco sell their own brand arborio for 73p for 500g. I use between 75g and 100g per person.

Stir in your rice making sure you cover the grains with the oily oniony mix.

Add a slug of white wine, vermouth or sherry (whatever you have lying around).

Add the stock, half a ladlespoon at a time (I have a very large ladlespoon! If yours is more standard size, you may need a whole ladlespoon) Its difficult to know how much stock to use, but as a guide 1.5l to 400g rice. Reduce the heat.

Keep stiring the rice and added the stock. Go slowly, add your stock once the previous lot has been absorbed. This will take roughly about 15-20 mins. Taste the risotto and add seasoning if it needs it. I usually chuck a handful of frozen peas in along with the shredded left over chicken and heat through.

You can add some butter to make it richer, but I dont bother. Also, add some grated parmesan or pecorino, again I dont tend to bother unless I have some in. If I have parsley, I tend to chuck that in.

Sorry its not very scientific! Since becoming OS, I've stopped following recipes to the letter and going with the flow

HTH xx

Sharon_1970 wrote: »

Mushrooms - Anyone got any suggestions? I have a huge box of mushrooms to use in the next few days. The kids and OH are having them raw in their sarnies with chicken and I am making curry today so some will go in that but I am still going to have loads and load left

Sharon - you've just reminded me about a salad I used to make and havent had for years. Mix cold, leftover pasta with halved cherry tomatoes and sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and seeds or nuts of any kind.

Thanks victory for wishing me luck with last nights bulked out Shephards Pie and Lasagne, they were a resounding success, my friends said they were yummy and everyone had seconds so must have been alright, however, I still didn't let on about bulking out with oats;) Took our friends to Greenwich park in the afternoon and then visited the Maritime Museum, the kids loved it and well worth a visit especially as it's free to get in so very MSE:money:

mandy_moo_1 & BigMummaF - sorry about the confusion with who posted which recipes, I got you two mixed up because I had copied the Bounty Bites recipe and the Garlic Dough Balls recipe and forgot who posted which. The Bounty Bites were great but still to make the Garlic Dough Balls, DD2 may be having a friend over tomorrow after School and I will do Spag Bol and make the Garlic Dough Balls to go with it.

Can't remember who was asking about herbs/spices but I would definitely recommend going to an Asian type place, we have a Turkish Food Centre opened in our High Street and I bought a 100g bag of Ground Coriander for only 38p and all the other bags of herbs and spices were of a similar price so I now know where to go when I need to restock and will no longer buy them in Asda/Tesco etc.

Sharon - i just chop then freeze carrots, never bothered blanching, and you can freeze peppers too and onions

saves me loads as less goes off waiting to be used

Just realised that my GC will be all gone to pot next week.

Me and the OH are going camping for a few days, so it will be a diet of beans, fruit and tea. Will this be terrible? Can always use the budget to buy foods to take camping?

On a plus side, I am meal planning for when we get back. So it will be W/C 2nd June.