Red Pesto & Green Bean Risotto

Heat a large frying pan over a mediumhigh heat. Melt 1/2 the butter with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add 1/2 the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the arborio rice and stir to coat. Add the water and crumbled vegetable stock cubes and bring to the boil.

Transfer the risotto mixture to a medium baking dish, cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Stir through a splash of water and the green beans, then re-cover with foil and return to the oven. Bake until the liquid is absorbed, the green beans are tender and the rice is ‘al dente’, 5-8 minutes. TIP: 'Al dente' means the rice is cooked through but still has a bit of firmness in the middle.

While the risotto is baking, zest the lemon to get a generous pinch, then slice into wedges. Pick the thyme leaves. Wipe out the frying pan and return to a medium-high heat with a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the panko breadcrumbs (see ingredients list) and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, thyme and the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, add a pinch of chilli flakes (if using) and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

When the risotto is ready, stir through the grated Parmesan cheese, red pesto, a squeeze of lemon juice and the remaining butter. Stir through the baby spinach leaves until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.