Recipe # 27 – Cheesy courgette and mint risotto
In keeping with our Meat – Free Day philosophy, tonight’s dinner is a cheesy courgette and mint risotto.
If you could die from a ‘cheese attack’, it would probably be from this meal, and if you are lactose intolerant, I could think of worse ways to go…
The cheese in this instance comes in the way of buffalo mozzarella. Now before you start thinking ‘Big 5’, think again. As I shared over Twitter, if you even THINK you could get milk from an African buffalo, you are sorely mistaken! This cheese is in fact from the water buffalo, in this case from Italy.
As luck would have it I happened to receive a tweet from a company called Sagra Foods, offering imported Italian buffalo mozzarella for a VERY AFFORDABLE price, I tweeted back and the next day I popped in for a visit.
I was welcomed and given a tour of their facilities by proprietor, Darryn Lazarus and was overwhelmed by their vast selection of delectable goodies imported from France, Italy and Spain. Their trade is largely supermarkets, specialty stores and the restaurant trade, but they were happy to accommodate this budding foodie and for this I’m most grateful.
I left with the mozzarella, some yellow fin tuna in olive oil for an upcoming pasta dish and some French macaroons, delicious! I will be back… soon!
The meal, as with all risottos is fairly simple to prepare, waiting it out is just part of the game and while it doesn’t quite get the 20 minute nod, it is worth waiting out the cooking time.
Having made several risottos over the past few weeks this is one of the most memorable and I’ll certainly be making it again, I think it is only pipped by the Asparagus and pesto risotto.
Mint is not something that I have tried in risotto, but I think it can work beautifully with the fresh courgettes!!!
Hi Nina,
Yes, I was suitably impressed, coupled with the bite from the fresh red chillies it was something quite special and unusual.
Matt
Sorry for my American ignorance, but what is courgette?
Also, what is rocket?
Hi Sally,
Not ignorance! For some reason in the US you call things by different names, it has confused the heck out of me on my various trips there!
You know rocket as arugula and a courgette is a zucchini!
Interestingly what we call coriander is also known as dhania, but you know it is cilantro… confusing right?
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are enjoying the posts!
Cheers
Matt
[…] I was able to locate this at Sagra Foods on my last outing looking for buffalo mozz for last weeks Cheesy courgette and mint risotto, which again is highly […]
Flippin Awsome!
Thanks for checking it out, glad you enjoyed it.