Baked Leek and Saffron Risotto
A cheat's version of Risotto ala Milanese, this risotto with aromatic saffron and lemon, and sweet leeks in baked in the oven.
Servings: 4 People
Ingredients
- 1 leek, washed and slice into thin rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 lemon
- 2 pinches saffron threads
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 250 mL white wine
- 1 L vegetable stock
- Parmesan rind (optional)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200° C (180°C fan-forced).
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium-sized casserole dish, then add the leek, garlic and a pinch of salt. Stir over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until the leek is soft.
- Add the saffron threads, the lemon rind and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Add the rice and stir to coat with the olive oil mixture.
- Pour in the wine, turn up the heat a little and cook for a few minutes until the rice has absorbed the wine.
- Add the stock, paremsan rind, bring to the boil, put the lid on the casserole dish and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the parmesan rind and the lemon rind befro serving.
- Serve with grilled vegetables and pesto on top.
Notes
You can prepare the first part of the risotto an hour ahead of time. Sauté the leek and garlic and stir in the rice. Simply leave it covered on the stove, then add the wine and stock when you’re ready to put it in the oven. This dish is best eaten when it's just been cooked. While it can be reheated, the rice tends to become very soft.