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Ingredients

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• 250g mushrooms – type? Your choice!
• 3 finely chopped shallots
• 8 stalks of thyme – leaves picked
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Drizzle of truffle oil – optional
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Malden salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ltr vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 6 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 400g risotto rice
• 100ml dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 70g butter

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Method

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Thinly slice the mushrooms. Heat a very large pan on the hob and add a tablespoon olive oil. Add the mushrooms with the thyme, stir them around for a minute, then add the garlic and a pinch of salt, add a little lemon juice – if you’re using it, a few drops of truffle oil. Remove from the pan and reserve.

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Divide the mushrooms in two; chop one half of the mushrooms, leaving the other half.

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Heat the stock. In a separate pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil, add the shallots and celery, sweat without colouring for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic, sweat again without colouring for another minute. Add the rice and turn the temperature right down. (This is a crucial part of the risotto process – don’t take your eye off the proceedings!)

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Stir the rice continuously – slowly frying the rice over a very low heat. It is important not to let the rice colour. Keep the rice moving.

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After 2 or 3 minutes it will begin to look translucent. It will begin to absorb the cooking flavours. Don’t worry if the rice starts to snap. Crackle and pop at this point.

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Now add the dry vermouth – I favour Noilly Prat, which we add at the London St Brasserie and the Crooked Billet. Keep stirring.

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Notice the aroma – the pan will smell fantastic. The harsh alcohol from the vermouth or dry white wine will evaporate, the remaining liquor flavouring the rice.

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Once the vermouth or wine seems to have absorbed into the rice, add a first ladle of stock and the chopped half of sautéed mushrooms. Add a small pinch of Malden salt.

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Turn the hob temperature down until the stock is only just simmering. Too hot and the rice cooks too fast, leaving it raw in the centre and mushy on the outside.

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Continue adding ladles of stock, stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take about 15 minutes. Taste the rice – is it cooked? How’s the seasoning? Carry on adding the stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. At this stage add the rest of the mushrooms and stir through the rice.

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Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan, but save a little Parmesan to sprinkle on top when serving.

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You need to eat the risotto as soon as it’s cooked while it still retains its moisture.

• 110g watercress
• 20g walnuts, shells removed
• 75ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

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Place the watercress & walnuts into a food processor & blend. Gradually add the olive oil until a thick paste forms. Season to taste with salt & freshly ground black pepper.

Ingredients

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• 400ml coconut milk
• 300ml thickened cream
• 43g caster sugar
• 118ml hot water
• 1tbsp gelatine

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Method

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Put the coconut milk, cream and sugar into a saucepan over a low heat. Stir, whilst cooking for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves – don’t boil. Remove from the heat.

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Place the hot water into a small bowl. Sprinkle with gelatine. Whisk with a fork until dissolved. Add to coconut milk mixture. Whisk well to combine.

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Place the mixture into 8 separate dishes or moulds. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

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