With courgettes and tomatoes being in full production right now I thought I'd share one of my all time favourite courgette recipes. It's so simple to make, delicious and very refreshing for the summer. This recipe will serve two small dishes, and is great accompanied by garlic bread.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g risotto rice
• 500ml veg stock
• 200g passata
• 30g of tomatoes, either fresh or canned
• 2 courgettes, sliced
• 1/2 tsp coriander, fennel or cumin seeds, crushed (powdered will do!)
• Olive oil
• 2 tbsp mascarpone / cream cheese / greek yoghurt
• Parmesan and herbs to top

Recipe

• Put a teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan, once heated add your diced onions and soften. This will take approximately 5 minutes on medium heat.
• Whilst your onions are cooking put your veg stock on the stove, in a pan to heat up. This only needs to simmer, but if it's heating whilst you're cooking it'll mix better and pre heat the oven to 200C
• When the onions are soft add your garlic and seeds for another minute to infuse their flavours.
• When your seeds and garlic start to brown off add the risotto rice and mix thoroughly to make sure the mixture is completely coating the rice. 
• Let your rice cook for around another 5 minutes in the pan until the edges start to go translucent. Do not add anything else until this has happened. 
• Your rice should now be translucent at the edges, and the whole dish smelling aromatic. 
• Add your veg stock, one ladle at a time, gradually. Do not be tempted to add it all at this point! Make sure that the rice has absorbed your liquid fully before each ladle addition and that you stir to stop sticking.
  
  You can skip this next step if you like your veg fresh and crunchy. It tastes nice both ways!
• In a dish / roasting tin add your courgettes and tomatoes (only if they're fresh, if tinned you can add toms straight to risotto), coat with olive oil and season. Roast for 15 minutes until tender.
  
  
• Once all your veg stock has been consumed you need to add the passata, cover with a lid and let simmer for 15 minutes checking on it every 5 to ensure you don't need to add more veg stock. (add as required)
• Add your mascarpone / cream cheese / yoghurt to the risotto and season well. Once completely mixed and creamy in texture add your cooked courgettes and tomatoes.
• Serve with parmesan and herbs of your choice, coriander or parsley are good here.