One of the best things about summer is the glut of fresh herbs in the garden that are just waiting to be picked! It is so lovely to be able to pop out of the kitchen door and return with a handful of herbs that will elevate a dish. This is a risotto I made the other day when I was trying to use up things in my cupboard

Sweetcorn and summer herb risotto
Serves 4, cooking and preparation 40 minutes
1tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper for seasoning
12oz arborio or other risotto rice
150ml sherry or Marsala wine
1 litre chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you prefer)
1 small tin of sweetcorn (drained)
50g butter
75g grated cheese (gruyere is what I normally use but as this is a store cupboard dish, just use any hard cheese you have in your fridge - cheddar is fine)
1 handful of fresh herbs (chives, parsley, tarragon, chervil are what I used)

In a large pan, heat the oil and gently fry the onions. I add a tsp of salt to my onion as this helps them to cook (a tip passed on by MC winner Steven, so it must be good!). Take care that the onions do not burn or go dark brown as this will taint the flavour of the risotto. When the onions are cooked, add the rice to the pan and stir for a few minutes until the rice starts to become translucent. Pour in the sherry or wine and cook for a few minutes until the alcohol has evaporated. Then add the chicken stock a ladle at a time, each time cooking so that all the liquid has been absorbed, before adding the next ladle. You are meant to add salt with each ladle when making risotto but I have to admit that I never really do this - I just add some salt at the beginning and then test and adjust the seasoning at the end. You may not need all the stock (or you may need a little more) - towards the end test the rice - it shouldn't have any crunch to it and if it does just add a little more stock or water and cook further. When the rice is cooked, stir in the sweetcorn and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt if needed and add some pepper. Add the herbs, butter and cheese to the pan and stir until melted. Serve straight away. Although the butter and cheese add flavour and give a glossy finish, this dish is fine with both of these omitted (more like a summer herb paella) which would be suitable for anyone allergic to dairy products.