Sea Plantain Risotto

Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima) is in deep abundance at the moment on my local estuary. An often overlooked wild green, Sea Plantain is totally different in taste and texture to other species such as Greater Plantain or Ribwort Plantain.

Currently Sea Plantain is one of my favourite wild edible plants and one that is delicious raw or cooked. This simple risotto recipe could be served up in some of London?s finest restaurants, and you?d be paying through the nose for the privilege.

There?s nothing quite like taking my trusted dog ?Pip? for a walk, while at the same time gathering my supper… See, isn?t foraging easy? You don?t need to travel miles to gather your food, just a simple 100 yard stroll outside your house could provide ample ingredients for fine cooking that will have your friends oohing and aarghing with delight.

Ingredients

6 handfuls of arborio risotto rice
150g Sea Plantain (chopped)
2tbs dried Alexanders leaf
750ml stock
2 glugs of white wine
100g Butter
Cracked black pepper.

Suggested Instructions

Melt a good the butter.
Pour in the rice and stir so the grains are coated in butter.
Now add a couple of glugs of white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Keep stirring all the time.
Add Alexanders leaf, and stir.
Next add a ladle of hot stock, and keep stirring the rice mixture until the liquid is absorbed. Then add a second ladle and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Keep ladling in stock and repeating this process until the rice is done (about 20 minutes). It should be al dente.
About five minutes before the rice is ready, add your chopped Sea Plantain.
Your risotto needs to be gloopy but not soupy.
Season with black pepper, and serve.

Serves: 4