Sarah Tuck is a New Zealand based CEO and Editor of Dish magazine.

Today, Sarah will be making: easy-bake chicken and leek risotto, and baked carrots and parsnips with whipped ricotta and hot honey.

Recipe below:

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Baked Chicken and Leek Risotto (gf)

This oven-baked risotto combines tender chicken, sweet leeks and fragrant tarragon in a creamy, lemon-scented rice. With no need for constant stirring, it’s a fuss-free take on the classic and an easy dinner for any night of the week.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

20 grams butter

400 grams chicken thighs, sliced into 1cm strips

sea salt and ground pepper

1 small leek, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1½ teaspoons dried tarragon

½ cup risotto rice

1¾ cups chicken stock (I used a stock pot)

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

½ cup toasted sliced almonds, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.

Heat the oil and butter in a medium ovenproof frying pan. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly golden. (It doesn’t need to be fully cooked.) Take out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the leek, garlic and tarragon along with 2–3 tablespoons of water to lift all the sticky bits off the base of the pan. Season well with salt and pepper, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the rice then the stock and zest and season with salt and pepper. Put the chicken and any juices on top then scatter over the parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes until the rice is just cooked and the liquid has been absorbed.

TO SERVE: Scatter over the almonds and top with a grating of parmesan and a grind of pepper.

SERVES 2

COOK’S NOTE: If you don’t have a suitable ovenproof frying pan, cook the recipe then tip into a shallow ovenproof casserole dish and scatter over the parmesan before baking.

Roasty Baby Carrot, Parsnip and Red Onion on Whipped Ricotta (gf) (v)

This pretty-as-a-picture dish makes for the perfect side for almost any roasted or grilled meat.

9 baby carrots, halved lengthways

4 medium parsnips, halved lengthways

1 large red onion, halved and cut into wedges

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds

sea salt and ground pepper

Whipped Ricotta

500 grams ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

Chilli Honey

125ml runny honey

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

To serve

2/3 cup toasted walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan bake.

Put the carrots, parsnips, red onion, oil and cumin seeds in a roasting dish. Toss to coat everything, season with salt and pepper and spread out into a single layer Roast for 10 minutes, toss again, and roast for a further 15–20 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Whipped Ricotta: Put the ricotta, honey and salt in a food processor and whiz until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Chilli Honey: Put the honey and chilli flakes in a microwave-safe jug and heat for 15 seconds, just to warm through. Pour into a container and store covered for up to a week.

To serve: Spoon the ricotta onto a serving dish, top with the vegetables, walnuts, and a drizzle of the chilli honey. Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side