Risotto with leeks, soft cheese and herbs

This was my Valentine's night dinner. You might not think it the most romantic meal imaginable, but I like its creamy texture, and the way the softened leeks give the dish a bit of oomph, but not too much. And then there's the cheese. You can use standard Brie or Camembert, or you can ring the changes.

Today I was admiring the cheeses at Partridges food market on the Duke of York Square, near Sloane Square. The Bath Soft (from the eponymous Bath Soft Cheese Co) is one of my favourites and is a cracking cheese to use in this risotto. Another stall featured Wildes cheeses, which were new to me but are made in Tottenham. They do a soft, mould-coated cheese which I think is probably called Londonshire, and I reckon that would work a treat here too.

If you want your cheese to be evenly distributed, I recommend stirring it in a couple of minutes before the end of cooking time. But I sometimes like to lay slices of cheese on top of the risotto as I serve it instead, so they can gently melt in the heat from the warm rice. If you've invested in a quality bit of cheese, I recommend this method so that you can pick up the flavours of the cheese more distinctly.


Ingredients

Serves two very hungry people, or three to four more moderate eaters.

Small knob of butter or 1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 medium leeks, well washed and sliced
250g risotto rice, eg arborio (but any short grain rice will do, even pudding rice)
1 tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp fresh thyme, leaves picked, plus a little extra to garnish

About 1 litre hot vegetable stock (you could make your own from a chopped carrot, chopped onion, a couple of chopped celery sticks and a couple of bay leaves)
75g soft cheese such as Brie or Camembert, or use a British mould-ripened cheese
Chopped parsley, to serve (optional)

Method

Heat the butter or oil in a pan and add the chopped onion and leeks. Cook for about 15 minutes on a moderate heat, stirring at intervals, until the leeks and onions have collapsed and are quite soft. I find that putting a lid on the pan can help speed things up a bit. (If you're in a real hurry, you can start cooking the rice in a separate pan while the leeks are cooking and stir in the leeks once they're cooked)

If you're using the same pan, add in the rice once the leeks are done, with a ladleful or two of stock. Stir as the liquid is absorbed. Add the thyme and some black pepper. Continue to add the stock and stir as it gets absorbed. The rice will probably take 20-30 minutes - you want it to be creamy with just a hint of bite. Stir in your chosen cheese, and serve with love.