This is a light, flavoursome and easy to cook dish, perfect for a hot summers day.

The fresh summer vegetables, including peas, asparagus and rocket give a sweet and light taste to the rice, making for a perfectly balanced dish.

Try this dish! It’s so easy, but ok, it is a little laborious as you do have to stir, stir, stir! BUT the secret to a great risotto is this technique, adding a ladle of stock each time, to create a creamy, luxurious texture.

Recipe (serves 2)

150g arborio rice

1 litre – 1.5 litres of chicken or vegetable stock (I used homemade stock)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp butter

Half a glass of white wine, about 150ml

10 large king prawns, sliced in half

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 3 1-inch chunks

60g peas, fresh or frozen

Parmesan cheese

Rocket leaves

Salt and pepper

Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer, leaving it to sit on a low heat. The warm stock will help cook the rice faster.

Next, in a large pan, heat the oil and fry the onion gently so it doesn’t brown, until soft. Add in the butter and then stir in the risotto rice. Keep stirring the rice in the butter and oil for about 5 minutes, until well coated. Again, this will help the rice to cook faster.

Pour in the white wine and stir until evaporated.

Now, ladle some stock into the rice, stir well and until evaporated, then repeat. Repeat this process until all the stock has gone and until the rice is tender (about 25-30 minutes, a glass of wine for yourself will make the time go!)

Please keep stirring and doing 1 or 2 ladles at a time, don’t just pour loads of liquid in! This helps to create a creamy texture.

When you have a couple of ladles of stock to go, stir in the asparagus, peas and prawns – this will give them chance to cook through.

Taste the rice to make sure it’s cooked. When you’re happy, grate in LOADS of Parmesan, until you think it’s enough – some people like more and to really taste the cheese, I just like enough.

Season well.

Serve on a nice deep plate and top with rocket leaves and shavings of Parmesan.

Enjoy!