Ingredients:

Risotto base

4 shallots

4 celery sticks

2 garlic cloves

40g unsalted butter

½ bunch thyme

1L vegetable stock

200ml dry white wine

175g Carnaroli rissotto rice

Celeriac puree

½ celeriac

1 pint milk

200ml double cream

5 peppercorns

3 bay leaves

1 clove

1 white onion sliced

Pesto

1 bunch parsley 

150g walnut halves

30g parmesan

1 lemon

1 clove garlic

200ml olive oil

1 pack of chestnuts 

Method

Put a medium sized saucepan on a low heat and add your milk and cream with the bay leaves, peppercorns, 1 garlic clove and white onion.

Meanwhile finely dice your shallot, celery and remaining 2 garlic cloves and put a wide, low rimmed pan on a medium heat and sweat your veg off with the butter. Pick the thyme leaves and add to the pan, once nicely cooked through but not browned deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook the alcohol off for a minute or two before adding the rice, start adding your stock bit by bit so the rice is always covered with a little stock until it has absorbed all the stock and the rice is cooked through.

Peel and cut the celeriac into small chunks. Strain the cream/milk mixture and discard the aromats (bay, peppercorns, onion and garlic), add the celeriac to the cream and cook until tender. In a food processor or blender blend the celeriac until you have a smooth velvety texture, season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon or vinegar.

Add this to your rice and taste.

Wash out your food processor before adding all the bits for the pesto and pulse until you have a desired texture, using a little extra oil to loosen if necessary.

Slice your pre cooked chestnuts into pound coin thickness and fry in a small frying pan in foaming butter till crispy, be careful not to burn, let dry over some kitchen towel.

Time to plate up!

Top your delicious risotto with your parsley pesto & chestnuts for a tasty January winter warmer.

Thanks for reading, We’d love to know how you get on with the recipe too.