Risotto

     Happy Thursday everyone! I hope that I am not the only one, but when I get past the halfway point of my week I feel the need for a reward. Last night my reward came in a bowl full of carbohydrates and bacon. That's right folks, risotto! I must confessed that I am a little obsessed with risotto. It can be served as an appetizer, entree, or even (gasp!) dessert. It is a magnificent canvas to display the most beautiful produce anytime of year. It knows no seasons. It can be asparagus in April, corn in July, figs in September, or pumpkin in October. It can be paired with a protein, it can be vegetarian, or (another gasp!) vegan.
     Another thing I love about risotto is that it is a great base for whatever you happen to have in the house. Last night that meant bacon and peas. That was alright with me! Here is how I made it;

First, I gathered all my ingredients. The french term for everything you need for a dish is 'mise en place' - just in case you want to sound fancy.

In order of appearance:

5 slices of Bacon, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, chopped small*
1 cup of Arborio Rice
1/4 cup of White Wine (Tip: Choose a wine you are in the mood to drink with your dinner.)
3 cups of Chicken Stock, heated
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Peas

*I used garlic because that's what I had, but anything from the onion family works just as well. Use an entire shallot or half of a yellow onion if that is what YOU have around. (More about onions and their regional identification to come at a later date.)

This is a large batch. It served the two of us with no accompanying dish. But you could also use this recipe as an appetizer for four people.

Let's get cooking!

Start the bacon in a COLD pan. The cold pan allows for more of the fat to be rendered out, giving you a crisper end product.

You may be thinking that it looks like a lot of bacon, but it will shrink down to about half. Plus, if you are anything like me you will make half of it your snack while you are cooking the rest of the dish. Here's what it should look like in the end:

Mmmm! The brown color on the bottom of the pan is called fond; it's the natural sugars in the bacon caramelizing and it is basically pure flavor. This will come into play in just a bit. Now there is a very fine line between crispy bacon and burnt bacon, so you will want to take the pan off the heat as you remove the bacon with a slotted spoon. Place the bacon (drained of as much grease as possible) on a plate covered with a paper towel.  Pour (very carefully) all but 1 TBSP of the grease in a jar and let it cool. *If you have southern blood coursing through your veins, you can keep this in the refrigerator for future cooking endeavors. Otherwise, it is just a clean and safe way to dispose of the grease. *

Now, if you are looking for a vegetarian or vegan option, this is the point at which you will begin. Instead of the bacon drippings, you will add butter or olive oil (vegan) to the hot pan.

Add garlic or onion. Cook until you can smell it from about a foot away - this is what it means to cook something until it becomes aromatic. Pour in the rice and stir until the majority of the rice is coated in the cooking fat. Now it's time to break out the wine. Pour the wine over the rice to deglaze the pan - which is what draws the fond from the bottom of the pan into the rice. When the wine is almost completely evaporated, add 1 cup of the chicken stock. (If you are going the vegan route, use vegetable stock instead.)

It should look like this:

For the next 10  to 15 minutes, depending on your stove, you are going to stir it gently every minute or so to A.) keep the rice from sticking to the pan and B.) to release the starch from the rice, which is what gives risotto it's signature creamy texture.  While you are stirring, add stock as necessary to keep the liquid level just above the rice (see above).

Once those 10-15 minutes are up the rice should be just a little more than al dente. Add what's left of the stock, then add the peas. I used frozen peas but if you have fresh, use 'em!

Let it cook (still stirring) until the liquid level is just BELOW the top of the rice. Remove the pan from the heat and add the parmesan. Stir gently until the cheese is melted. If cooking vegan, leave out the cheese and cook until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated.

Pour into two shallow bowls. The risotto should spread but not be soupy. If that is NOT how yours looks, it still tastes good so eat it anyway!

Top with a pinch of parmesan and the bacon.

Now sit back, pour yourself a glass of that wine, and congratulate yourself on creating a dish that scares  many a chef.

Be on the lookout for more risotto recipes as we get into my favorite time of year - pumpkin season!