Herb Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 shallot
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 cup Italian medium-grain rice
• 3 cups chicken stock (approximately)
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 bay leaf
• 12 leaves sage
• 12 sprigs thyme
• 12 leaves tarragon
• 12 leaves marjoram
• sea salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Peel and chop the shallot.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and cook the shallot until soft.
3. Wash and thoroughly drain the rice and add to the pan.
4. Stir around until coated with fat, then pour on 1¾ cups of heated stock.
5. Cover the pan and simmer gently until almost all the liquid is absorbed.
6. Add the saffron, crushed bay leaf and the finely chopped herbs to ¾ cup of the stock and pour it into the rice.
7. Cover again, and cook gently until the stock is absorbed.
8. If the rice is tender, season with salt and pepper and serve, otherwise, add the remaining stock and continue to simmer until cooked.