BACON RISOTTO

Ingredients:

1 Pkt bacon (cut into small pieces)

1 Litre chicken stock

2 Tablespoons butter

½ onion (diced)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1½ cups Arborio rice

2 Tablespoons butter

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

  •  Cook the bacon in a pan until brown and keep aside.
  • Melt two tablespoons of butter in a pan and add the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onions are just turning a golden brown colour.
  • Add the rice and stir until all the rice is coated with the butter and has started to toast, it will give a lovely nutty taste.
  • Add a third of the stock and turn down the heat.  Once the stock is absorbed in the rice, add another third of the stock.
  • Once the stock is also absorbed, add the last third of the stock and stir until the rice is soft and creamy, but not mushy.
  • Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the remaining two tablespoons of butter, the Parmesan cheese and the bacon.
  • Always taste first before you add any salt and pepper, because the bacon, the cheese and the stock are salty already.

Tip:

If you have any risotto left overs, you can roll it into little balls, push a small piece of cheese into the middle of the ball, roll the ball in breadcrumbs and fry.  You will have a wonderful rice ball with gooey cheese in the middle!