Vegetable Risotto

People always think risotto is difficult to make. It’s not. You have to stir it once in awhile, sure, but that isn’t terribly fiddly. You can vary the dish according to what you have on hand or what you feel like eating; I like the combination of peas and mint, for example, or some greens mixed with a few tomatoes, or pieces of roasted squash. You can also vary what sort of cheese you use; many people like parmesan in risotto, while here I use gorgonzola to add a different flavour.

Ingredients:
1 onion
oil
1 vegetable stock cube
150 g arborio rice
¾ l water
2 courgettes
1 tsp sugar
1 handful cherry tomatoes
100 g spinach
gorgonzola cheese
olive oil

Instructions:
1. Chop the onion and fry it in the oil in a soup pot. Add the stock cube and break it up.
2. Add the rice and stir, so it gets coated by the oil and onion pieces. After a couple of minutes, add some of the water and cover the pot. Let it cook for 20 or so minutes, adding more water as necessary, stirring occasionally.
3. Slice the courgettes and fry them in some oil in a frying pan. Add the sugar and stir. Wash and halve the tomatoes, then add them to the pan.
4. When the rice is mostly cooked, but still has a bit of bite to it, add the spinach and the cheese. Stir well.
5. Add the courgettes and tomatoes to the risotto and stir.
6. Top with a dash of olive oil and serve.