Vanilla and Coconut Risotto with Mango Sauce

Serves: 4

For the Sauce:
100 g caster sugar
1 star anise, coarsely ground
4 cloves
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
5 tbsp. Water
1 large ripe mango


For the Risotto:
400 ml milk
400 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp. Caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
15 g butter
200 g risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
4 tbsp sweet white wine (e.g. Muscat, Riesling, or Liebfraumilch)
finely grated zest of one orange
finely grated zest of one lime


To Serve:
2 tbsp shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
nutmeg, freshly grated

To make the mango sauce: put the sugar, star anise, cloves, and ginger in a small saucepan. Add water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat. Leave in the saucepan to cool and infuse. Pass the syrup through a fine sieve.

Peel the mango and slice the flesh. Blend half of the fruit together with 2 tbsp. of the spice syrup to a purée. If the syrup seems too thick, add a little water to get a pouring consistency. If not sweet enough, add a little more syrup.

Slice the remaining mango into matchsticks.Place in a bowl with 1 tbsp of the spice syrup.

To make the risotto: put the milk, coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the pulp. Stir into the milk mixture.

Heat the butter in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the rice and toast for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the white wine and simmer until it has been absorbed. Add a ladle or 2 of the hot milk mixture. Let simmer until the milk has been absorbed, stirring frequently. Add another ladle of the milk mixture. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often and adding the milk mixture in stages. When the rice is tender and has a nice creamy consistency, remove from the heat and stir in the citrus zest.

Serve the risotto in shallow bowls. Pour over a little mango sauce . Place some of the sliced mango on top, scatter over the pistachios and grated nutmeg.

Source: Denis Cotter, For the Love of Food


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