Baked Risotto with Lemon, Prawns, Courgettes & Basil

This risotto didn't go quite according to plan. It is a very simple recipe but I always find risotto a challenge. The basic recipe is from Olive Magazine and I added some raw prawns to it as they needed using up, but I didn't add enough liquid. The original recipe was for 12 people and I found it really difficult to estimate how much to make for one, so unfortunately some of the rice burnt slightly and stuck to the bottom of the pan. It was still tasty, just not very creamy, and made a huge mess of my pan!

Baked Risotto with Lemon, Courgettes, Prawns & Basil (adapted from Olive Magazine March 2008)

(Serves 6)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
250g courgettes, sliced
250g arborio rice

30 raw prawns
600ml vegetable stock, simmering
1 lemons, zested and juiced
50g Gran Padano, grated
a small bunch basil, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Heat the oil in an ovenproof dish with a lid and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Stir in the prawns, courgettes and rice, coating everything in oil and cook for a few more minutes. Add the stock, lemon juice and cheese, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with the lemon zest and basil.

I also had a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning, this week it was Scrambled Egg with Smoked Salmon on an English Muffin.