Risotto primavera

Officially it's Spring now, I'm sure you had noticed by the fact that you've shelved all of your 100 denier tights, stored your winter coat away until next year, flung wide the windows and welcomed golden sunshine, streaming into your home. No?

No. I'm sitting here with the windows clamped shut, the radiators on and clad in not only 100 denier tights, but cardigan and jumper too. What a miserable April it has been.

But in the vegetable world, Spring marches on apace, and new season's asparagus is in the shops. I had some delivered in my fancy-pants organic veg box (it's cheaper than buying and wasting veg in the supermarkets honestly! My austerity measures haven't gone out the window just yet) so I decided to make a lovely risotto primavera, primavera being Italian for Spring, and that's the season we're in. Keep reminding yourself.

Risotto primavera is a jolly sunshiney dish which is also cheap and easy to make because it's mainly storecupboard and freezer things. Here's how I make it.

Serves 3-4 with a salad.

A large handful of risotto rice per person + 1 for the pot (this is not very scientific)
1 large onion
2 fat cloves of garlic
1 large leek
a slosh of wine if you have it (if you don't, don't worry - or use martini like I did - yum?)
2 pints (or therabouts) of veg or chicken stock
2 big handfuls of frozen peas
2 big handfuls of frozen broad beans
a bunch of asparagus, snapped at their bending point and stalks shopped into 1cm rounds - reserve 2 stalks per person for garnish
1/2 lemon squeezed
a big handful of parmesan
a handful of chopped parsley and mint

Fry the diced onion and crushed garlic in a bit of olive oil in a large saucepan. Set your stock on to boil in another pan, and also put another large pan of water on to boil for your peas. Add the chopped leek and a little knob of butter for good measure. Let it all fry away for a little while on a low heat until everything is soft but not coloured at all. Add the rice and give it a stir.

Chuck the wine in and let it bubble for a little while, stirring the rice. Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir it until it's all absorbed into the rice. Do this again, and keep doing it until you're about two ladlesful from the end. Keep tasting the rice to see if it's cooked - if it isn't add ladlefuls of kettle water if you can't be bothered to make up a new batch of stock.

When your rice is almost cooked add your peas and broad beans to the boiling water (you could add them directly to the risotto but I've done that before, then realised the rice isn't cooked, and by the time it is the peas and beans are all mush - bad times) and let them cook for about one minute. Drain and set aside.

Put a frying pan with a little oil in it onto a medium heat. Add the chopped asparagus to the pan of risotto off the heat and leave to stand for around five minutes. The asparagus will cook through in the heat from the pan but still be crunchy.

Meanwhile add the whole asparagus spears to the pan of oil and let them fry for a few minutes until done. Don't panic if they look a bit charred. Whilst they're frying, grate some parmesan and chop some parsley and mint.

Finally stir a knob of butter through the risotto, add the parmesan, lemon juice, herbs and adjust the seasoning. Pile onto plates, top with the whole grilled asparagus, a drizzle of oil if you're feeling fancy and some more parmesan. Then turn your heating up and pretend it's Spring for 20 minutes.

Panto and a lucky escape.

This weekend I went to Worthing to see the panto. The panto itself is worth mention, including as it did Cheryl Cole's 'Fight For This Love,' a trippy under-the-sea sequence featuring disembodied neon sea creatures, and a gorilla costume from the pound shop. All very Mighty Boosh, but not knowingly. Wimbledon it was not. Instead of Pammie we had an ex-corrie 'star' playing Robinson Crusoe (I was confused as to how they would turn this harrowing tale of desert island life into a pantomime too, but they managed it.) But it was all in good fun, and I left feeling pretty festive.

My feelings of festivity faded when my mum said we'd be having dinner in Pizza Express. I don't mind PE, but I can think of about 15 places I'd rather eat, and that's just in Worthing, not noted for its culinary panoply. I'm just always a little bit disappointed by whatever I order, it's always a little bit insipid or underplayed, it always feels a bit cynical and grasping.

Sadly it was fully booked out for a children's party, so we went literally two doors down and found a lovely family-run Italian restaurant where 7 of us gorged on platefuls of nosh, two bottles of wine and gallons of brandy (and an icecream for the child) for little under £20 a head. I had pollo alla rustica from the specials menu which was a massive piece of chicken blanketed in dolce latte and pancetta. Served with garlic potatoes and mixed vegetables, it made a very pleasing meal.

Sadly I cannot remember the name of the place, but if you happen to be in Worthing, then go to Pizza Express, turn left and head to this place. Oh and Louise from Hollyoaks was in there too, which may please any teenage boys in your party.

Better than Noodel's City.

Caravaggio’s is without doubt the finest restaurant in Camberwell. There’s a bold statement for you, though when you consider that the other ‘restaurants’ in the area are KFC, Noodels City (sic) and Morley’s, it ceases to sound quite so audacious. That’s not to say that Caravaggio’s isn’t a very fine restaurant indeed, combining as it does the holy trinity of great food, great service and great value.

I’ve eaten there several times, with grandparents, with a small group of friends and as last night, in a rowdy party of twelve, and the food and service have been consistently good. I would not hesitate to take anyone visiting Camberwell to Caravaggio’s, and think it a credit to them that they can accommodate a slightly raucous (for a Monday at least) 23rd birthday party with as much ease as a quiet meal for two.

Located halfway up Camberwell Church Street, Caravaggio’s boasts a coffee shop and sandwich bar at the front of the restaurant, with a pretty restaurant and small courtyard garden at the back. The reproductions of their namesake’s greatest works crowding the walls, exposed beams and vaulted ceiling create a pleasant dining environment, though the swirling wallpaper is starting to look a little tired around the corners. The waiters are knowledgable and personable and always keep the wine flowing and plenty of bread and olives on the table. I thought that it was a nice touch that they brought jugs of tap water to our table without being asked; occasionally they will also bring digestifs over after your meal, which is a pleasant surprise when it happens.

Yesterday I chose Caprino Fritti; deep fried goat’s cheese with poached pears and cranberry sauce, which was delicious - though the sheer quantity of cheese was enough to have me contemplating my next gym session.

Next up I chose Saltimbocca which was meltingly tender and robustly flavoured. Despite this, I regretted my choice. Food envy reared its ugly head when a friend wisely chose the Tornadoes Rossini from the specials menu, which is without doubt the finest dish on the extensive menu (and consistently available despite its status as a special). Perfectly cooked filet steak is served in a rich Barolo wine sauce, topped with soft chicken liver pate and served with rosemary potatoes. Having ordered this in the past I can vouch for its deliciousness, it is a remarkably well executed dish, particularly considering the £13ish price tag.

Other fine choices amongst our party were Spicy Turkish Sausages to start, a special of Brie with mango, and a huge portion of plaice with a cheese sauce served with mashed potatoes – comfort food at its best. Pastas can be slightly weak in here, though cheap at under £5 and generous in their proportions, so I would staunchly recommend sticking with the meat or fish options, though the risottos are also very good. A heavily garlicked side-order of spinach was buttery and delicious and sat very well alongside fish dishes as well as grilled meat.

Having washed down our enormous meals with about 38 bottles of wine (or 7, probably) we were presented with a very reasonable bill of £20 per head including service. Caravaggio’s represents fantastic quality and value in Camberwell, and I really hope it continues to do a roaring trade for many years to come, I see absolutely no reason why it should not.