Some recipes are fast and frantic whilst some are slower and soothing. Risotto, for me, falls into the latter. Yes it does require constant supervision, but that is part of the joy. This is one of those recipes that will instantly bring calmness. This is cooking that is good for the soul, try out my Bacon and Pea Risotto.
I think of this as a store cupboard recipe, I will always have the ingredients to bring this risotto together. This takes basic ingredients and creates a truly delicious dish. In my opinion this is the most satisfying way to cook, taking a few staples and turning them into a beautiful, filling meal. Risotto, whilst being filling also feels special and luxurious, the fact that I am always just 45 minutes away from this is certainly reassuring.
There are two very important things to remember when making risotto. The first is the stock that you add must be hot. So put the stock you are adding in a pan and heat then turn down to a low heat to keep it hot. The second is you need to keep stirring as the rice absorbs the stock this prevents it scorching.
The stock you use does make a difference as it provides a lot of flavour. I will use homemade stock, in fact if you want check out my blog post about creating your own homemade chicken stock. If not then I have made this with stock cube before however you need to be mindful that stock cubes are often salty and there is bacon in this dish so it can become over-salted. Once something is overly salty there is not too much to be done to save it.
Risotto comes from the North of Italy and can be traced back to the 11th Century. Risotto should have a creamy consistency it should not be runny. If you read different recipes for risotto you will see that almost every one of them will suggest a rough cooking time. This is because cooking times will vary due to the different types of rice, the thickness of you pan and the temperature at which it is cooked. You want each grain of rice to still have some bite to it.
Looking for more Italian inspired dishes? Take a look at:
Sausage and Ricotta Ravioli
Lovely Lasagne
Sausage & Fennel Pasta
Beef Ragu
Crispy Fried Ravioli
I hope you love this Bacon and Pea Risotto as much as I do. If you try it let me know how you got on in the comments below. Don’t forget to tag any pictures on social media and use the #CUBBintheKitchen to be featured in my stories.
Bacon & Pea Risotto
Ingredients
- 200 grams Bacon Lardons
- Half an Onion
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 150 grams Risotto Rice Arborio, Caraoli, Vialone Nano
- 750 ml Stock Chicken or Vegetable
- 60 ml White Wine
- 120 grams Frozen Petit Pois
- Handful of Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Get Set Up• Take your stock and put into a saucepan place on the hob to heat up.• Chop the Onion into fine dice, you could also grate this if you wish.• Grate the Garlic.• Weigh & measure out the other ingredients.
- Ready, Steady, Cook• Take a saucepan and cook the Bacon Lardons in to render out the fat and get golden and crisp.• Remove the cooked Bacon to a plate and add the chopped Onion to the hot fat cook for 2-3 mins.• Once the Onion has softened add the grated garlic and cook for 2 mins.• Add the Rice and stir to slick in the fat and toast for 2 minutes – you do not want the rice to turn brown.• Pour in the white wine and stir to get the rice to absorb it.
- Stock & Stir, Stock & Stir• Add 1 ladle of hot stock to the rice stirring constantly as the rice absorbs the stock. Once it seems fairly dry and you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir add another ladle of stock.• Repeat this until the rice is cooked and creamy, it will take between 20 and 30 minutes – if you need you can add hot water if you run out of stock.• Once you are almost at perfect rice add in the Frozen Petit Pois and the cooked Bacon.• Stir together and add the last ladle or so of stock and continue to stir to heat the peas and bacon.• Lastly Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of fresh chopped Parsley.
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