Pea and Ham Risotto with Goats Cheese

Pea and ham risotto served in a blue bowl.

Pea and Ham Risotto with Goats Cheese

Few flavours work as well together as pea and ham, and this pea and ham risotto with goats cheese adds another dimension to that perfect couple!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Anglo Italian

Keyword ham pea risotto, pea and goats cheese risotto, Pea and Ham Risotto Recipe, pea, ham and goats cheese risotto

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings Servings

Calories 673kcal

Author Brian Jones

Ingredients

125 g Risotto Rice ⅔ Cup
1 Medium-Large Echalion or Banana Shallot 50g
1 Small Celery Stick 35g
100 g Ham 3½oz
125 ml White Wine ½ Cup
500-650 ml Hot Ham Stock 2-2½ Cups (Chicken or Vegetable stock also works)
200 g Frozen Peas 1 Cup
24 Mint Leaves
50 g Butter 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
50 g Mature Hard Goats Cheese ½ Cup

Instructions

Dice the shallot and celery as finely as you can.
Cut the ham into a 7-10mm (¼-½") dice.
Grate the goats cheese.
Shred the mint leaves as finely as you can.
Heat the stock in a 15cm or 6" saucepan and keep it hot (but not boiling) throughout the cooking process.
Add half of the butter to a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the shallot and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly.
Place the frozen peas in a sieve and run cold water over them until they have defrosted.
Turn up the heat a little and then add in rice and cook, stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes until it becomes translucent at the edges.
Pour in the wine and cook until the rice mix is almost dry. When it is done, you want a creamy residue in the bottom of the pan.
This is the most important part of any risotto: ladle in the hot stock a little at a time, constantly for the first couple of ladles. Then you can stir it every few minutes after that.
Start with half a ladle of stick for the first couple of ladles, then increase that volume as you continue. This process will take around 22-30 minutes, depending on your temperature/pan.
When the rice is very nearly cooked (it should have a little bite), and you are ready to add your last splash of stock, throw in your defrosted frozen peas, ham and mint leaves and cook until you have a creamy, rich, but "quite wet" risotto.
Finally, turn off the heat (remove it from the heat if you are using an electric ceramic hob), and sprinkle over the remaining butter and most of the goats cheese and add a lid.
Allow the risotto to sit for 4-5 minutes before stirring to combine, and serve with the remaining goats cheese when you serve the dish.

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