Bacon & Mushroom Risotto

Just one day before winter and its been pouring down with rain for most of the day. On days like this, there is nothing more comforting and relaxing than just curling up in front of the T.V, all wrapped up in a warm blanket with a creamy bowl of risotto. Here's the recipe for what we had for dinner tonight...

Bacon & Mushroom Risotto
Originally adapted from Jamie Oliver's Mushroom Risotto Recipe

• 2x 50g of butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic (smashed & chopped)
• 1 leek (thinly sliced)
• 1 onion (sliced & chopped)
• 4 slices of bacon (sliced & chopped)
• 500g risotto rice
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 2 cups of mushrooms (roughly sliced)
• 4 cups of chicken Stock
• 5-6 pieces of dried porcini mushrooms
• pinch of salt
• 100g of freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Salt & Pepper

In a separate saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil, then keep on a slow simmer. Give the porcini mushrooms a quick wash to remove any dirt, then add into the chicken stock with a pinch of salt.

In a heavy based pot (I use my dutch oven), melt butter in olive oil, add garlic, leek, onion. Cook over low heat for 5 mins then add in bacon. Continue to cook for a further 10 mins. Be careful not to brown the leeks.

Add rice and keep on stirring. Add in wine and continue to stir until all the wine has cooked into the rice. Add a ladle of hot stock and stir until the rice has absorbed the stock. Turn the heat down to a slow simmer. Keep on adding stock to the rice one ladle at a time as the rice absorbs the stock.

About 10 mins in, take out the porcini mushrooms (which has now been rehydrated from the simmering stock) from the saucepan and slice into small pieces. Add this to the rice. Add the sliced mushrooms to the rice and continue to stir. Continue until all the stock has been added, this should take around 20 mins.

Remove from the heat and add the remainder 50g of butter with the parmesan cheese. Place lid on top of the pot and let it sit for about 2-3 mins. Season with Salt & Pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with any leftover parmesan cheese.