01.05.08: Risotto with mushrooms and peas

A serendipitous sensation: on the train home last nite, He ripped a recipe our of some freebie mag left on the seat, and tonite She cooked up a Milanese Risotto starring peas, chestnut and oyster mushrooms, white wine, chicken broth and spring onions, plus pesto handily rescued from the freezer. (Actually, there's nothing Milanese about this risotto - normally that's v. plain, with just a few saffron threads - none of this veggie and pesto nonsense.) A salad with garlicky olives, some sundried tomato and tiny bits of lemon filled in any remaining corners.

SHE SAYS: Mmm-mmm good! I had my doubts about this recipe, as it required very little stirring and no sauteeing of any ingredients except the rice (was this reeeally a risotto?) - and I admit I was feeling snobbish about the frozen pea component. Well, bust my buttons, was I wrong! It was rich yet subtle, creamy and satisfying - and not as goosome as many another risotto I've made. It was also the easiest risotto I've ever turned a hand to, so I'm sure it will have an encore.

HE SAYS: Agree with her, it was fab. Lots of intense gravy-esque sophisticated flavours and meaty mushroom textures made this a winner. Salad weren't bad neither, espesh with lemony garlic olive type fixin's, ooh mama.