Risotto with peas and crispy bacon
Make sure your guests are seated and ready to eat – risotto doesn’t like to be kept waiting
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 15g/½oz knob of butter
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
- 60g/2½oz chorizo sausage, coarsely chopped
- 200g/7oz Carnaroli or Arborio risotto rice
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock, heated
- 1 heaped tbsp mascarpone cheese
- 40g/1½oz Parmesan, grated
- 60g/2½oz frozen peas
- 4 rashers dry-cured unsmoked back or streaky bacon
Method
Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan, add the onion and spring onions and cook until softened.
Add the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes then add the risotto rice and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes ensuring all the rice is coated in the oils.
Add the wine and continue to stir until it has been absorbed, then add a ladle of the hot stock. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Keep stirring, allowing each ladleful of stock to be absorbed before adding the next.
Once all the stock has been used, stir in the mascarpone and Parmesan then mix in the frozen peas. Remove from the heat and cover for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, grill the bacon until crisp then place 2 rashers on top of each serving of risotto.
