ARTICHOKE RISOTTO AND ARANCINI

By Theo Randall

PHOTOGRAPHS KATE WHITAKER

CHEF’S STEP BY STEP

FOOD STYLING LOTTIE COVELL

STYLING DAVINA PERKINS

WITH THANKS TO NATOORA.CO.UK, WHO SUPPLIED THE ARTICHOKES FOR THIS FEATURE

“One of my favourite ways to eat artichokes is in risotto. The best for this dish are the small, spiky, violet ones; they have a huge amount of flavour and, when fresh, are soft and easy to prepare. If you can’t find them, look for artichokes with a pointed top, which indicates the choke inside is small, so there’ll be little waste. The stems are flavourful too – just peel away the stringy exterior. It’s important to use well-seasoned stock for risotto, and to measure the rice carefully. When it’s cooked, the risotto needs to look wet – it should ‘sigh’ onto the plate rather than sit in a stiff blob.”

MEET THE CHEF

Theo Randall’s love of Italian cooking was inspired by childhood family holidays spent driving through Italy, sampling its produce. His first job after completing training was at the then little-known River Café in London. He became head chef there after returning from a year-long stint working for legendary chef Alice Waters in Berkeley, California. After 17 years, he left to open Theo Randall at the InterContinental in Park Lane, cooking rustic Italian food and winning numerous awards. Theo has also written two books and appears regularly on TV.