This is another incredible one pan, store cupboard staple recipe that really pushed me to fish around in my cupboards and work with whatever I had available. Ordinarily when recipe testing, if I have an idea or get half way through making something and realise I need certain ingredients, I wouldn’t hesitate to run across the road to the supermarket. This isolation period has really pushed me to make do with the ingredients that I already have on hand and therefore, be a little less wasteful as well! Whilst this may sometimes mean that dishes are lacking that little extra garnish or pop of colour that I would normally sprinkle on top for photography purposes, I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of having to get that little bit more creative and make the best of what I have.
Risotto is a great warming weeknight dish, perfect for the whole family to enjoy. It’s something that can again, be made in just one pan and only requires a minimal list of ingredients. However, on this occasion I actually didn’t have any risotto rice so have just used regular basmati and found this to work absolutely fine!
This dish is so decadently creamy and yet completely plant based and dairy free! My not so secret ingredient for achieving that deliciously velvety texture is adding a spoonful of cashew nut butter into all of my plant based sauces. It instantly transforms sauces in seconds and tastes just as creamy as the dairy version!
Another fantastic pantry staple, which I’ve recently discovered is these dried porcini mushrooms. They’re a great long life product to keep on hand for adding heaps of flavour to soups, pastas, noodles, stews and so much more. You simply need to soak them in water for 30 minutes, then they’re ready to add into your favourite dishes.
