Meal One: My three cornered garlic and mushroom risotto

Vegetable Stock:
• 2 carrot
• 1 white onion
• 2 sticks of celery
• ½ leek washed
• Coriander seeds
• Four bay leaves crushed and bruised
• ½ teaspoon Cloves
• ½ teaspoons Anise
• 200 ml of New Zealand Chardonnay
• 2 litres of cold water
• Portobello mushroom root and peel

1. To begin this stock, place a large pan onto a medium heat with a touch of oil once the pan has began to lightly smoke, add in your cut vegetables allow to colour alight as this helps to impart flavour and depth to your stock.
2. Once your vegetables are lightly golden brown and tender, add your 200 ml of white Chardonnay, then crush your aromats and allow to infuse in the wine as this again gives the wine another depth of flavour, additionally if you crush and bruise your bay leaves then you have that beautiful aniseed aroma.
3. Once the pan is deglazed add your water and allow to infuse for at least 30 minutes, bring the stock to the boil and then reduce to low simmer as this allows the stock to relax.
4. Once at this point pass and strain the stock through chinois as this helps to remove any impurities from the stock reserve the vegetables as these can be used to cook with a gammon or ham hock as this dish prides itself on a no waste idea.

Risotto:
Base:
• 2 sticks of celery peeled and finely diced
• ½ white onion and finely diced
• 1 large banana shallot and finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed and diced
• 500g portobello mushrooms some diced and some julienned
• Tobermory Three Cornered Garlic
• 800 grams of risotto rice
• 100 ml of New Zealand Chardonnay white wine

1. To begin your base, place a medium sized pan onto a medium heat, once the base has come up to temperature add a dash of olive oil then add your base as this is what makes the risotto.
2. Ensure that you cook the risotto base slowly and over a low heat as this helps to release their essential oils and flavour. This takes around 25-30 minutes add a little salt and pepper as this helps to form the base of the risotto.
3. Next deglaze with a little New Zealand Chardonnay white wine, once the wine has reduced and glazed add your risotto rice and allow to toast by toasting the grain, you allow the rice to open up which helps to release their starch which in turn thickens up the risotto.
4. Once the rice is ready add a ladle of stock at a time allow the rice to absorb the stock. As this helps to ensure a creamy and luxurious risotto.
5. Ensure to add enough stock at a time. Ensure that the rice is al dente, meaning to bite. To finish the rice off you can add a knob of butter, which helps give the rice a gloss and shine, but for dairy free eaters add a little cold pressed olive oil.

Add your sautéed portobello mushrooms as this helps to ensure that they remain juicy perfectly cooked, by sautéing off mushrooms in a little olive oil and a red hot pan you release a wonderful nutty flavour which then imparts goes back into your risotto to build the flavour profile. Just before your risotto is ready add your finely chopped three-cornered green to lightly cook as if it over cooks they have a tendency to turn brown.

To accompany this dish slice some rustic bread and chargrill once char grilled slice a clove of garlic in half and rub over the bread drizzle with cold pressed olive oil and place onto a wooden board and serve.

To finish bowl into pre-warmed artisan bowls top with veggie Parmesan cheese shavings and a drizzle of cold pressed olive oil and enjoy with a crisp glass of white New Zealand Chardonnay.