This is an unusual risotto recipe from Jamie Oliver’s The Return of the Naked Chef book. It was pleasant but not as great as either Jamie’s prawn and pea risotto or Delia’s mushroom risotto to my mind. I needed to toast the almonds a bit longer. Quantities below serve 6.
Ingredients
• 1 x basic risotto recipe (quantities for 400g risotto rice)
• 2 large heads of garlic, whole and unpeeled
• 1 good handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 155g/5½oz shelled and peeled almonds, lightly crushed, cracked or chopped
• 2 handfuls of coarse fresh breadcrumbs
• olive oil
• 2 heaped tablespoons mascarpone cheese
Instructions
- Roast the whole garlic heads on a dish in the oven at 230°C/450°F/gas 8 for about 30 minutes until soft. Separate the cloves and squeeze out the sweet insides.
- Add with the thyme at the start of Stage 3 of the basic risotto recipe.
- In a frying pan toast the almonds and breadcrumbs in a little olive oil until crisp and golden. Season with a little salt. Set to one side.
- Serve the risotto with a dollop of mascarpone on the top and sprinkle over the toasted almonds and breadcrumbs.
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