This rooibos risotto Floris Smith of Bushmans Kloof made on a rooibos cooking course is unusual, easy and delicious. Serve it as an accompaniment to meat and fish or on its own with caramelised onions.
Ingredients
Serves 4 – 6
- 1,8 litres chicken or vegetable stock or water
- 12 rooibos tea bags
- Olive oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 400 g risotto rice
- 150 ml white wine
- 50 g butter
- 2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan
Cooking method
Heat the stock (or water) in a large saucepan and add the tea bags. Bring to the boil; turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags and keep the stock or water on low heat. In another pan, heat olive oil and add the onion. Slowly fry on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the rice and keep on stirring for a minute or two. Stir in the white wine and stir until the liquid has cooked into the rice. Start adding ladlefuls of the rooibos stock, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but slightly al dente. This will take about 30 minutes. Take the risotto off the heat and season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the butter and Parmesan. You want it to be creamy and oozy in texture, so add a bit more stock if you think it’s necessary. Serve immediately with Parmesan shavings.
