Risotto , my way

QUICKIE DINNER TIME

I didn't want to cook tonight, it's Friday, I'm tired.  I had arborio rice in the pantry and some bacon, some cooked (pressure cooked) broccoli and some leftover poached chicken.  BINGO! 

Risotto is a method, not a recipe. I use the equation, however much rice you use (I had 2 cups so I used 2 cups) be sure you have 4 times the amount of hot stock (I poached a chicken in the pressure cooker yesterday and had that stock)

Fry some bacon, I used half a 12 oz packet.  Save the crispy bacon aside and drain about half the fat.  Fry half an onion in the bacon fat until soft but not colored.  Add the rice and fry it around for a minute or so then add a glass of white wine.  

Cook the wine into the rice then start adding hot stock, 2 ladles at a time and cook over medium high heat, stirring, until the rice absorbs the liquid.  I like to stand at the pot, with a very large glass of wine, listening to music or watching the news while I stir gently, this isn't hard work. 

Keep going until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes?  When you're happy with the rice, add one more ladle of stock, a large knob of butter, the cooked broccoli and crispy bacon and stir around.  

Pile it onto a plate, add some poached chicken, shredded, on top and a large dollop of the homemade aioli I'll tell you how to make another time on top of that.  Put a little parsley on top to chef it up and serve.

      

If you don't have arborio rice in your pantry all the time, shame on you.  You can always make a variation of risotto for dinner with anything you have left over.  I keep stock in my freezer all the time and in a pinch, you CAN cut it half with water so there's no excuse whatsoever for not making this, often.  

*purists insist I should have mounds of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top but I didn't have any and was not going to let THAT stop me from making this for a rich, delicious, creamy, crispy, filling, joy giving dinner*

/make risotto