Mediterranean risotto

This meal has become one of our favourites.  The chopped tomatoes really help to flavour the rice and the whole thing is just super yummy.

VEGAN AND GLUTEN FREE MEDITERRANEAN RISOTTO

350gm risotto rice
1.2 litres stock (vecon is a good vegan gluten free one)
1 aubergine
1 tin of chopped tomatoes 
100gm mushrooms 
150gm frozen peas
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
olive oil
pure spread
salt and pepper


-chop the aubergine into small chunks and lightly fry in a bit of olive oil. Take off the heat and keep to one side.  Alternatively slice thickly, cook them on a griddle then chop them up.
- fry the mushrooms in a tiny bit of oil or fry lite then set aside with the aubergine pieces.
- finely chop the onions and garlic and fry in about 25gm of pure spread until soft. 
- add the rice and stir well for about 1 minute
- add about a ladel full of the stock and simmer until mostly absorbed. Keep repeating until you have used about half of the stock.
- add the tin of chopped tomatoes and stir well.
- once the juice from the tomatoes has nearly absorbed start adding the rest of the stock a ladel full at a time, waiting for it to be almost all absorbed before adding more. Keep doing this until the rice is tender, you may not need to add all of the stock.
- add the aubergine, mushrooms and frozen peas to the rice mixture and keep stiring on a low heat for about 5 minutes.
- just before serving stir in another knob of pure spread. Top with grated cheezly