Brown Risotto Rice

This is my new store cupboard gem. Biona's Brown Risotto Rice - we have, over the last 6 months, switched nearly all our white floured foods (pasta, bread, rice etc) to brown ones for obvious health benefits. The kids didnt even really notice and brown 'stuff' is so much tastier so it has been an easy switch all in all. However, and it's a big however, I have not been able to find an arborio risotto rice alternative. We love risotto and so this Biona one is perfect. After a lot of trial and error I have found a cooking technique that works for us - it has still got that thick soupy consistency of conventional risotto, is healthier and best of all requires none of that tedious constant stirring!

1) Soak 250g of the rice in water overnight. (The packet says to do this but I ALWAYS forget so at most it gets 10 minutes and a lot of rinsing - seems ok.....)

2) Fry 1 white onion and 2 celery sticks in olive oil in a large heavy based casserole pan.

3) Add the rice to the onion and celery along with 250ml white wine and 600ml of chicken stock.

4)) Bring to the boil and gently simmer for about 45 minutes. You may have to top up the liquid with water if the rice is not cooked when it has absorbed all the stock.

5) Flavour at will - this one is pea, mint and pancetta but anything goes.... mushroom; goats cheese, pine nuts and kale; prawns, pea and mint; butternut squash and parmesan......

I buy it from our local health food shop for £2.60 for 500g but you can buy in bulk on Amazon

Worth a go!