Aga Stoves

From the moment I first saw an Aga Stove – I wanted one. A big, beautiful red one. To me there is something so appealing about them……perhaps it’s the multiple cooking spaces and hence the various doors. Maybe it’s the shiny enamel. Maybe it’s the thought of taking a step back from the rush of my day to day life to enjoy a slower pace.

Slow growing of veggies in the garden, slow gathering of wood and kindling to stoke up the Aga and slow cooking of wonderful one pot meals…..speaking of one pot meals - my husband Sam regularly makes me a one pot special that truly makes my heart sing….. it is a recipe handed down from his father George – Oven-baked Risotto. You do not need an Aga to cook it but it would be nice. Here is the recipe:

Oven-baked Risotto

50 grams Butter
1 finely sliced onion
2 medium garlic cloves finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 ½ Cups of mixed suitable vegetable (cubed)
2 ½ cup stock (boiling water w/ 2tsp miso dissolved through)
Season with salt & pepper ~ to taste
½ Cup grated parmesan
Fresh lemon juice

Fry onion in butter for 5 minutes on medium heat (add garlic near end of fry time).
Next add & fry rice for a further 5 minutes.
Then add vegetable mix and stir through for 1-2 minutes.
Add stock to dish, increase heat & bring contents to boil then season to taste.
Transfer contents to suitably sized casserole dish with lid on
& then bake in pre-heated 180ºC oven for 30 minutes.
Turn oven off. Remove lid. Lightly fold through parmesan.
Return to oven for 5 minutes.
Dress each dish with a squeeze of lemon.
Salt & pepper to taste.