Spring Prawn & Pea Risotto

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• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

• 1 Onion thinly sliced

• 1 Carrot finely diced

• 1 Celery Stalk finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped

• 300g Carnoroli (or regular) Risotto Rice

• 250g prawns, frozen or fresh

• 300 ml fish (or vegetable) stock

• 150 ml white wine

• 200 g frozen petits pois

• 100g watercress, torn roughly

• 1 lemon zest and juice

• 100g parmesan

Heat Oil in a large pan, add onions and stir for a few minutes, adding carrot, celery and garlic and cook gently until very soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the stock to a separate, medium saucepan and turn heat on very low to keep it warm as you go – this makes all the difference to cooking the rice perfectly.

Turn up the heat and add the rice, stirring well to coat the rice and make it glossy. Pour in the wine, which should sizzle, stir as it partially evaporates.

Turning the heat down, add one ladle of stock into the rice. Stir well and leave to simmer until more stock is required.

Add in the prawns if using frozen or fresh at this point, they need to be heated and cooked all the way through.

When the rice is cooked through, approx 15 minutes depending on type, add the lemon zest and peas, bringing back to a bubble and cook for another couple of minutes, ensuring the peas are still bright green. Season to taste.

Stir through the watercress to serve.

{The Italians I learnt risotto making from would tsk viciously at the thought of adding any cheese or dairy to a fish risotto, but I secretly love a dollop of mascarpone on this and a spare sprinkling of parmesan, but don’t say it was my idea.}