Bacon and Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is an amazing dish: simple, creamy, and tasty. It is also versatile: you can make it as you like, more or less rice, more or less vegetables. This particular recipe has been a family favourite for years. Give it a try.

Bacon and Mushroom Risotto

1 ½ litres (6 cups) chicken stock

2 T. olive oil

4 slices of bacon (or ham)

500 g button mushrooms halved

1 medium thinly sliced leek or 2 onions

1 clove crushed garlic

1-2 cups Arborio rice (according to taste)

160 ml (2/3 cup) light cream

1 cup parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 T. finely chopped fresh basil leaves or 1/2 T. dry

2 T. chopped fresh chives or 1 T. dry

STOCK: Put the stock into the pot and heat; then reduce to low while keeping the stock hot.

HEAT olive oil in large pot or saucepan. Cook bacon (or ham, whole or diced) in the oil until crisp; then remove from pan.

COOK sliced mushrooms in the same oil until coated and tender. Add leek/onion and stir until clear and soft. Add the uncooked rice and bacon to the pan Heat until well coated by oil.

ADD STOCK to the pan/pot. Try 1 cup of stock at a time, stir over low heat until absorbed and flavour infused. Add another cup of hot stock to rice mixture until it, too, is absorbed. Continue this process, 1 cup of hot stock at a time, till gone and rice is tender.

ADD CREAM and stir like you did with the stock. The risotto will be soft and creamy.

REMOVE PAN from the heat and still in the parmesan cheese, pepper, basil, and some of the chives. Cover the pan and allow to rest 10 minutes. Add the remaining chives and serve immediately.