Serves 2.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

The secret to an enjoyable risotto is to cook it slowly while stirring, so as to release and stabilise the starches within the arborio rice. Adding too much stock at once will only produce gluggy risotto, so make sure you only add ladles of stock when the rice is looking dry and thirsty.

1 cube vegetable stock
3 cups (750mL) boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
3/4 cup arborio rice
100mL Dry White Wine
1 punnet button mushrooms, sliced
1 Zucchini, grated
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, peeled & crushed
1 punnet exotic mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 bunch thyme (or parsley), leaves picked
½ block (50g) Parmesan cheese

1 cube vegetable stock 3 cup s (750mL) boiling water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 brown onion, finely diced 3/4 cup arborio rice 100 mL Dry White Wine 1 punnet button mushrooms, sliced 1 Zucchini, grated 2 tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic, peeled & crushed 1 punnet exotic mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped 1 bunch thyme (or parsley), leaves picked

1. In a large pot, add the vegetable stock cube and the boiling water, then place over a low heat to keep warm.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat and saute the brown onion for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add the arborio rice, coat the grains and toast for 1 minute.

Pour in the dry white wine, sprinkle in HALF of the button mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes until the wine reduces slightly.

Add a ladle of hot vegetable stock and stir continuously until the stock has been absorbed and then add another ladle.

Repeat this process for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked 'al dente'.

Add the grated zucchini in the last 3 minutes of cooking, stirring until soft.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium frying pan over a medium heat.

Add the garlic, the REMAINING button mushrooms the exotic mixed mushrooms and a pinch of salt.

Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are brown and juicy.

Add in HALF of the thyme.

4. Scrape the mushrooms and any pan juices into the risotto, taste and season accordingly.

Then add HALF of the Parmesan cheese and stir well.

5. Divide the risotto between bowls and sprinkle with the REMAINING Parmesan cheese and thyme (or parsley).