This is a one pot meal, which is something I love, and is great for freezing as well - since we always make too much we end up freezing a big portion every time.Ingredients:
- arborio rice
- 4 rashers bacon (we use unsmoked)
- 1 leek
- cup of peas
- 1.5 pints chicken stock
- grated cheese (parmesan is best)
If you have never made risotto before, it's actually very simple. I chop the bacon and leek, and sauté them in butter until they are just cooked. Add in the required amount of arborio (amounts are given on the packet, but I usually use just over half a small pack of arborio), and stir for one minute or until the arborio is 'shiny'. Then, add in your stock.
I have read to add a little bit of stock at a time, until it's all absorbed, however I just dump the whole lot in at once. It's important to stir it really regularly, or it can stick to the bottom, so I tend to just stick by the pan during cooking risotto. It is quite a 'wet' rice dish, so if it starts to look too dry then simply add some more stock if needed. Just as the rice softens, throw in the cup of peas, and stir in half the grated cheese.
Once you are sure all the rice is cooked, and it does take a while, serve the risotto and add the extra cheese on top.
It usually takes us around 30 minutes from start to finish, and Isabelle loves risotto which is a bonus. Depending on what we have in the house, we may throw in other vegetables as well to mix it up. A healthy dish, full of goodness - and despite rumours it's not difficult to make at all.
