Zesty risotto

425g/15oz broad or runner beans
1 onion
a little cooking oil
255g/9oz Arborio (risotto) rice
1.2 litres/2pt hot vegetable stock
2 heads pak choi
juice and grated rind of a lemon

1. Cook your chosen beans until just tender. Refresh to cool. Leave broad beans whole but runner beans should be snipped into diamonds.
2. Chop the onion and fry in a little oil until it starts to soften.
3. Add the Arborio rice and cook, stirring continuously for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Pour in a ladle full of hot stock and simmer gently, stirring often until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Keep adding the stock in this way until the rice is creamy and soft. This will take 15 to 20 mins.
6. Trim the ends off the pak choi and slice thinly. Wash thoroughly.
7. Add this to the risotto with the beans, lemon juice and rind and warm through.
8. Serve immediately, sprinkled with black pepper, freshly chopped herbs, snipped chives and grated Parmesan cheese if liked.

Top Tip. For special occasions a small glass of white wine may be added before the stock.