Dimanche mange

This past Sunday I acceded to Ric’s oft-repeated request (read: plea) that we eat Risotto. To say I’m not a fan of rice is putting it lightly but, given that it was Ric’s birthday weekend, I figured I’d set my (usually vociferous) resistance to the side and accede to his request. We struck up a compromise, namely I’d make Risotto if it could have lemon in it (one of Ric’s pet dislikes). So I ended up choosing a recipe for mushroom, leek and lemon Risotto. I combined it with a rocket, pecan nut and pear salad. Verdict: one of the best meals we’ve eaten. Oh. My. (!)

M-L-L Risotto:

Ingredients:

·         2 cups rice

·         1 large onion

·         1 tsp garlic

·         500g leeks

·         3 cups chopped mushrooms

·         4 tbs vegan margarine

·         Olive oil

·         5.5 cups vegetable stock

·         1 lemon

·         1 tbs chopped parsley

·         1 tbs chopped chives

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic. Leave to fry for 1 minute. Add the onions and fry until soft (do not let the onion brown). Remove from stove and set-aside.

Cut leeks through the middle length-wise and chop. Chop the mushrooms. Heat olive oil in a pan and add the leek and mushroom mixture. Fry the mixture for about 10 minutes adding salt to taste. Remove from stove and set-aside.

Melt 2tbs of butter in a pot and add the rice, onions and garlic. Stir the mixture for about 1 minute and place your stove on medium heat to avoid burning the rice. Add 1 ladle of the vegetable stock to the rice and continue adding a ladle each time the liquid is absorbed by the rice (this process should take approximately 30-40 minutes).

While the rice is cooking, combine the rind of 1 lemon, the lemon’s juice, the parsley, the chives and 2tbs of vegan margarine in a separate bowl.

Once all the vegetable stock has been absorbed by the rice, add the leek and mushroom mixture, as well as the lemon rind and parsley mixture to the rice. Mix and season to taste.

R-P-P Salad:

Ingredients:

·         1 bag rocket leaves

·         1 cup pecan nuts

·         3 ripe, sweet pears

·         1 tbs pecan nut oil or macadamia nut oil

·         2 tsp lemon juice

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the pears into thin longitudinal slivers, combine pears with rocket and pecan nuts.

Combine the pecan nut / macadamia nut oil with the lemon juice, salt and pepper and shake to mix. Drizzle dressing over salad and enjoy.

We ended the meal off with our own, somewhat failed, take on the Vegan Swedes’ Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Sandwiches (our sandwiches became open ones) and herbal tea to counter-act the richness of it all.

All in all a really great day filled with good food and company.