I'm an one pot wonder!

I am not the cook in my family. I married Jeremy who, luckily for me, loves cooking and does not ever complain about doing so every day. But on the rare occasions when I throw him out of the kitchen I choose to make one pot wonders because that is the type of food I am really good at. Bring me a thousand ingredients, that doesn't scare me, as long as I can put into the same big pot at various times, stir and build up the flavours slowly, I am good. Very good.

Anything that requires more than one pot or saucepan, brings on the stress. Suggest that I assemble my dish on the plate 30 seconds before serving and I am hyperventilating. The potatoes might be perfectly cooked, but nothing else will be. The vegetables will be so over cooked they would have lost any flavour, colour or shape. The steak, chicken, lamb, whatever will be dry as a boot, and the plate will be sloppy and cold before you can say bon appetite, because I would have forgotten to warm the plates. I am breathing heavily just writing about it. It never works out like I want it to and it never taste anything near ok, never mind good.

No, after all these years I now know where my limitation lay and what my strength is. One simmering mass upon which I can focus all my attention. Others tend to hate risottos because you can't leave it. You need to stir, stay with it, build it. And that suits me just fine. As soon as I leave my pot, I am doomed to burn it or just misjudge my timings. So I stand still and concentrate hard. This is my favourite one pot wonder. Enjoy.

Pea, Lemon & Mint Risotto

Knob of butter

1 cooking onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 stems of celery, chopped

200g risotto rice

150ml sherry (or anything you can find, from wine to tequila)

850g warm vegetable stock (I like it strong so use 2 stock cubes)

50g frozen peas (garden or petit pois)

100g parmesan grated, plus extra to serve

150ml single cream

Juice and zest 1 lemon

1 bunch of fresh mint, chopped

loads of black pepper

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add chopped onion, garlic and celery. Stir until onion is softened.

2. Pour in the risotto rice and allow to be coated for a minute or two.

3. Add the sherry and stir until evaporated.

4. Add a ladle of warm vegetable stock and stir until all stock has disappeared. Then add another ladle and stir. Continue until all nearly all stock is gone. (approx. 20 - 25 minutes)

5. Add peas, single cream, 75g of parmesan, juice and zest of a lemon and chopped mint. Stir.

6. Put the lid on and let it stand for 5 minutes.

7. Serve and put some black pepper and rest of parmesan on the table for your guest to add as they like.