Artichoke risotto

The texture and flavour of artichokes are the perfect accompaniment to this rich and creamy risotto. Drops of lemon juice at the end offer small bursts of acidity, helping to cut through the richness.

Pour half of the oil in to a medium saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and celery and gently cook without colouring for 10 to 15 minutes, until softened.

Add the white wine and increase the heat to high until the wine has completely evaporated, and you can hear that the vegetables are starting to fry again. Add the remaining oil followed by the rice and stir regularly for two minutes, to gently toast the rice.

Reduce the heat to medium and add a ladle of the stock. Continue stirring to allow the starch to release from the rice, adding another ladle of stock once the previous one has been fully absorbed. Continue this for around 20 minutes or until the rice is almost cooked but still has a little bite to it (al dente). You can use water if you have run out of stock before getting to this point.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the artichokes, parmesan and butter. Continue to stir until you have a creamy texture and the artichokes are warmed through. Season to taste with a generous amount of salt and a small pinch of white pepper.

To serve – pour two ladlesful of risotto on to a warm plate, and gently tap the side of the plate until the risotto has levelled out to the edges. Add several drops of lemon juice over the top of the risotto, focussing on areas with artichoke segments. Drizzle with a little olive oil, before finishing with extra shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano and basil leaves.