Summer Strawberry Risotto

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon unsalted butter
200g Arborio rice
5 shallots diced
200g fresh strawberries
½ cup of white (or strawberry) wine
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
Pinch of salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 handful fresh basil- torn
3 tbs Parmesan

For Topping
100g fresh strawberries- chopped into small pieces
1 tbs strawberry vinegar

> In a small bowl, mix together strawberries for topping and strawberry vinegar.  Leave for 30 minutes.  Place the rest of the strawberries in a bowl for later use.
> Heat olive oil and butter in a pan.
> Add shallots, sauté until softened.
> Mix in rice and fry until it is translucent at the edges.
> Add wine ad let the alcohol boil away and all the liquid is absorbed.
> Pour in vegetable stock (1/2 cup at a time). Stir every now and then. Add more stock when liquid is completely absorbed.
> When rice is almost cooked (for me, that’s after the addition of about 2 cups of stock), stir in the 200g strawberries and the last 1/2 cup of vegetable stock.
> Mix in basil when rice is cooked. It will be a little runny, but it will thicken up as it cools down.
> Mix in 3 tbs parmesan cheese.
> Season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
> Garnish with fresh basil and serve with some strawberries and balsamic vinegar topping, more parmesan.

1. De-beard the mussels and scrub off any barnicles. Then in a large pot Soften leeks, garlic, saffron and pepper in oil and butter over a low heat.

2. Turn up the heat and add the wine, then fish stock and cream and simmer for 15 mins.

3. Add the mussels and cook until just opened stirring a couple of times to coat all the mussels in the sauce.

4. Remove from heat when the mussels have opened – stir in the parsely and serve with barbequed crusty bread and olive oil.

Food looked great – check out their summer menu here.

Here is a recipe that was made up on Christmas day.  It would work well with pretty much any fish.

400g of White Fish
1 Brown Onion chopped roughly
3 Cloves of garlic peeled and smashed
1 tbs Black Pepper Corns
1 Cup of chicken stock
6 Anchovies
1 Cloves
1 tbs butter
3 Cups of Milk
1 tbs Dried Dill or 1/2 cup of fresh Dill
salt to taste

Serve with whole roasted potatoes and sauted brussel sprouts with pancetta.

1. Melt butter in a pot over a low heat.  Add onions, pepper, dill, cloves, anchovies, garlic and soften until the onions are cook.

2. Add the milk and stock and simmer for 20 mins.

3. Add the fish fillets and turn the heat right down.

4. Reduce the creamy sauce to serve.