1/4 of a Red bell pepper, julienned and chopped into small pieces
1 medium shallot, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 Portobello mushroom, chopped small
2 slices bacon sliced into matchstick slices
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup White wine
Stock (vege or chicken is popular, I used beef this time)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Thyme
pad of butter
Parmesan Cheese, grated
Arborio rice is the best rice to use for risotto, it has a unique shape and starch content that yields a beautiful creamy side dish.
Saute bacon till crisp, remove from pan, set aside on paper towel
Reserve bacon fat
Saute shallot with mushroom in a tablespoon of Olive oil and a bit of the reserved bacon fat
Add garlic, mix in, and saute till fragrant
Pour in White wine and cook until wine is fully absorbed to cook out the raw alcohol taste
Add rice and saute with vegetable for two minutes until rice is a bit translucent
Pour in 1 cup of stock and stir often to release starch from the rice, this will help to create the creaminess
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add thyme
Once stock is absorbed, continue to add stock 1/2 cup or so at a time until stock is absorbed each time and rice is cooked through, when it is almost finished
Add Red pepper and bacon, taste-taste-taste, till rice is ready
Add butter and Parmesan, mix thoroughly and let rice rest for two minutes
Serve and enjoy
Delicious!
