freekeh risotto with mushroom & lime

Boil the stock in a medium saucepan and keep warm.

In a large, deep dish frying pan, add a knob of butter and olive oil together. Once melted, sauté the onions and chopped thyme until nicely caramelised.

Scoop the onions into a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, add some more butter and olive oil and then add in the freekeh, stirring frequently until the freekeh starts to smell a little toasty.

Once the Freekeh has gained some colour, slowly add the boiling stock into the pot, stirring in between each time the boiling liquid is added to the freekeh.

When you add the last bit of stock, add the already caramelised onions, then cover the pot and set aside for 5 minutes. This will allow the Freekeh to absorb the remaining liquid and not overcook.

In a separate frying pan, quickly sauté the mushrooms with some more butter and olive oil.

To finish, season to taste and then stir through the chopped chives, lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil and the mascarpone into the risotto.