Instructions: Heat the oil and 40g of butter in a saucepan.

Add the onion and fry until soft.

Stir in the rice coating with the oil and butter.

Stir fry for a minute.

Add a couple of ladles of stock and keep the rest boiling in another saucepan.

Continue adding the stock to the rice a little at a time and stirring with a wooden spoon.

Do not add more stock until it is absorbed.

Add the sorrel leaves and continue stirring until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked. After 18 minutes take off the heat the rice should be cooked al ekate and not be too dry.

Add the rest of the butter and Parmesan and beat with a wooden spoon energetically to achieve a creamy consistency.

This is known as mantecare in italian.

Serve immediately on individual prewarmed plates and decorate if you wish with a small sorrel leaf.

Any leftover rice when cold can be mixed with a beaten egg and a little more Parmesan.

With wet hands form balls a little larger than a walnut and deep fry until crispy.

They are delicious and can be made with any leftover risotto.

They are called arancini (little oranges).

You may find wild sorrel during your eary summer outings in the country but cultivated sorrel is availablefrom good greengrocers and supermarkets.

Serves 4 as a starter

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