13. MUSHROOM and BACON RISOTTO

serves four


2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 oz smoked bacon, chopped
12 oz Arborio or risotto rice
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 oz dried sliced mushrooms, soaked in a little boiling water
6 oz mixed fresh mushrooms
5 cups hot stock
few sprigs of oregano or thyme
1 tablespoon butter
little dry white wine
3 tablespoons peeled, chopped tomato
8-10 black olives, stoned and quartered
salt and black pepper
sprigs of thyme, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan with a lid. Gently cook the onion and bacon until the onion is tender and the bacon fat has run out.

Stir in the rice and garlic and cook over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the rice is well coated. Add the dried mushrooms and their liquid, the fresh mushrooms and half the stock, the oregano and seasoning. Bring gently to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and leave to cook.

Check the liquid in the risotto occasionally by very gently stirring. If quite dry, slowly add more liquid. (Don’t stir too often, as this lets the steam and flavor out.) Add more liquid as required until the rice is cooked, but not mushy.

Just before serving, stir in the butter, white wine, tomatoes and olives and check the seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with thyme sprigs.


courtesy of: Essential Main Courses by Linda Fraser. London: Hermes House (Anness Publishing Limited, 88-89 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HA), 1995, 2000, p. 38