February 2025 Monthly Recipe / Wild nettle risotto

Wild nettle risotto with mascarpone and ricotta salata 

Ingredients – serves 4
50ml extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, very finely diced
1 bay leaf
400g risotto rice, such as carnaroli or arborio
100ml white wine
1l vegetable stock, hot
200g wild nettle leaves, stems removed
80g butter, unsalted
80g mascarpone
1 lemon, juiced and zested
Parmesan
Ricotta salata

Method – to make the wild nettle puree   

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil.

Blanch the nettles in the boiling water for approximately 1 minute, then remove from the water and plunge into a bowl with ice and water to cool immediately.

When cool enough to handle, gently squeeze the nettles to remove excess water.

Place the cooked nettles in a blender and blitz on high speed until completely smooth.

Cover with parchment directly on the puree so it doesn’t discolour and set aside.

Method – to make the risotto 

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the diced onion, bay leaf and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and sautee the onion over low heat until it is completely soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Uncover, add the rice and stir to combine. After a minute, turn the heat back up to medium and add the wine. Let it bubble away until the smell of alcohol dissipates.

Gradually add the vegetable stock, ladleful by ladleful, allowing the stock to be completely absorbed before adding any more. Stir every few minutes as it simmers.

Continue this process until you have used ¾ of the stock, then taste the rice. It should be almost completely cooked through, with just the tiniest bite in the centre and all the stock absorbed. If it’s no quite there, continue adding more stock and tasting after every addition.

Once the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter and mascarpone, then cover and allow to rest for 2-3 minutes.

Uncover, add the nettle puree and fold to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little lemon juice and zest for brightness, and parmesan for savoury richness.

Divide into four plates, then grate over the ricotta salata and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.