STICKY LEMONY COURGETTE RICE WITH RICOTTA AND PINE NUTS. 🌱
Just a really good recipe that needs little attention
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Full of flavour, this rice bears similarity to a risotto. It’s sticker and has a bit more bite but the key difference is that there is no need to stand by the hob stirring. There’s a little effort required at the beginning as the base of this are slow cooked, very thinly sliced courgettes. These cook first until almost caramelised, but they need little attention and if they catch and burn a little they’re even more delicious in my opinion. Once the courgettes are done you can pretty much walk away as the rice cooks slowly with thick lemon rind, stock and softened spring onions until the grains are plump with flavour.  Toss it all together and finish with a tumble of herbs before topping with ricotta.
I love to serve this alongside a good roast chicken or even a BBQ but it makes for a brilliant main course alongside a simple salad too.
STICKY LEMONY COURGETTE RICE WITH RICOTTA AND PINE NUTS
Serves 4-6
3 courgettes
Olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, chopped into 5mm pieces
2 garlic, finely grated
400 short grain brown rice
500ml stock
1 Lemon
Good handful Basil leaves
200g ricotta
50g toasted pine nuts
Finley slice the courgettes into rounds.
Heat a good glug of olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Enough oil to coat the base. Add the courgettes with a pinch of salt and cool over a medium to high heat avoiding touching the courgettes for the first 4 mins to allow them to colour on the bottom. Then begin to toss the courgettes occasionally and reduce the heat until most of them are browned and caramelised. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the chopped spring onions to the pan with a little more oil if you need it. Cook for 2 mins, then grate in the garlic and cook for a further 2 mins. Muse your knife to peel back thick layers of lemon rind.
Rinse and drain the rice and add to the pan with the stock and lemon rind.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 mins until the stock has absorbed. Stir the rice occasionally.
Once the rice has cooked and the liquid has absorbed, return the courgette to the pan, add the basil leaves, lemon juice and sea salt (to your taste) along with a glug of olive oil. Stir to combine. Transfer to a plate.
Dot over the ricotta evenly and sprinkle over the pine nuts.
