Tomato risotto

Ingredients:

2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
1,2l veg stock
Tin of plum tomatoes
30g fresh basil
1 garlic clove, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
300g risotto rice
½ a fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
300g cottage cheese

Method:

1. In a large, high-sided pan fry onions, carrots and celery over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Simmer veg stock and tinned tomatoes in a large pan over low heat.
3. Add leaves of basil (throwing stalks into stock) and peeled garlic into a blender, cover with ½ ladle of hot stock and blitz until smooth
4. Add 2 tablespoons of oil into mixture and blitz again.
5. Stir rice into veg pot for 2 minutes and then gradually add in tomato and veg stock through a sieve (push the tomatoes hard through the sieve). Wait for each ladleful to be absorbed before adding in another.
6. Repeat the process and massage the starch out of the rice for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
7. Stir in chopped chill and cottage cheese, taste and season if necessary.
8. Top with blitz basil sauce.