Risotto with Chicken & Brussel Sprout

Serves 4-6

1.1L stock (chicken or vegetable)

2 tablespoons olive oil

A knob of butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

400g risotto rice

500ml dry white wine

1/2 half a cup of peas (frozen or fresh)

salt and pepper

70g butter

115g grated parmezan cheese

2 large? handfuls of brussel sprouts, shredded

1 tablespoon butter

2 pieces of chicken breast

Heat the stock and keep it simmering hot on the stove.

Put the olive oil and butter into a separate pan, add the onion and garlic, and cook very slowly for about 15 minute without colouring.

Add the rice and turn up the heat. The rice will begin to lightly fry, so continue to stir it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent.

Add the wine and keep stirring.

Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock.

Turn the heat down to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook to quickly on the outside.

Continue adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 20 minutes but always varies so taste the rice to check if its cooked. If not, continue adding the stock until the rice is soft but still has a slight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully and if you run out of stock just add some boiling water.

When the rice is almost cooked, put a fry pan over medium heat with a splash of olive oil and fry the chicken. In another fry pan place the butter and fry the brussel sprouts.

Remove the risotto from the heat when cooked and add the butter, parmezan and the (frozen) peas. Stir well.

Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes.

Add the sliced chicken and brussel sprouts.

Divide between plates and eat as soon as possible.

Often I’m quite tempted to leave the risotto just like this. Thyme, butter and cheese, what a combination.

This was delicious. I don’t know why I’ve never added any meat to my risottos before. Also the balsamic reduction was an easy was to make the risotto even richer, it’s sticky and sweet and super tasty.

Recipe from bread & honey

Except…

I just used this recipe to make the actual rice, purely because I know it from memory.

I didn’t add the mushrooms in the beginning. I torn them into smaller pieces, fried them for a few minutes until they began to colour, then I seasoned them with salt and pepper, added some chopped garlic, a knob of butter and thyme and roasted them in a 200°C preheated oven for 6 minutes or so, until cooked through and rich in flavour. You can chop them into smaller pieces at this stage if you prefer. Again, this is just because it’s how I always do mushrooms.

Also, why have I been frying thick pieces of chicken breast in a pan which takes forever?! This time I fried each side for a few minutes and then chucked it in a 180°C for 7 minutes or so. Much juicer.

This is just before I let it stand for a few minutes with the lid on.

LCD Soundsystem – Never As Tired As When I’m Waking Up (zSHARE)

Like my cupcakes this risotto turned out a little more pink than I wanted but it tasted pretty good. The next time I’ll use a lighter milkier cheese as I found the fontina a little too salty and strong for this dish – it ruined the earthy beetroot flavour a bit. A funny comment made by my sister was that it tasted like dirt, she liked it though and she doesn’t really like risotto or beetroot much.

Beetroot Risotto with Grilled Radicchio

Serves 4

1.5L vegetable stock

500g raw beetroot, peeled and chopped into small cubes

125g unsalted butter

1 red onion, finely

3 tablespoons raspbeery or red wine vinegar

500g risotto rice

250g goats cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

sea salt and pepper

3 small radicchio or witlof, quartered lengthways (optional)

100ml olive oil

Heat the stock into a saucepan and keep at a gentle simmer.

Add the beetroot tot the stock and simmer for 20-30 minutes until almost tender.

Remove the beetroot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Melt half the butter in a large, heavy saucepan.

Add the onion and vinegar and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add the beetroot and rice stirring over a high heat for a minute until slightly translucent.

Begin adding the stock, a large ladle at a time, stirring gently until each ladle has been absorbed by the rice. The risotto should be kept at a bare simmer throughout cooking.

Continue until the rice is tender and creamy, but the grains are still firm. This should take about 20 minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Beat in the remaining butter and parsley. If the risotto looks dry at a bit of stock as well.

Cover and let the risotto rest for a couple of minutes.

Serve immediately with crumbled goats cheese on top.

NB: If serving with radicchio, heat an overhead grill. Put the radicchio pieces in a grill pan and brush with the oil. Grill for 10-15 until soft and beginning to colour, turning a couple of times. Remove from the grill and set aside. Ladle the risotto into heatproof bowls and top each with the radicchio. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, set on a baking tray and grill for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted  and bubbling.

Use basic risotto recipe but add cooked peas and blanched then fried asparagus at the end. Top with smoked salmon pieces.

Eh, what an ugly photo. And yes I know it should be sloppier.

Le Tigre – Les And Ray (zSHARE)

Roasted Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4-6

1.1L stock (chicken or vegetable)

2 tablespoons olive oil

A knob of butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

400g risotto rice

500ml dry white wine

salt and pepper

70g butter

115g grated parmezan cheese

A small bunch of fresh parsley, very finely chopped

1 lemon

500g mushrooms (portobello, swiss brown etc…), cleaned and torn

1 bulb of garlic, cloves peeled and halved

A small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Heat the stock and keep it simmering hot on the stove.

Put the olive oil and butter into a separate pan, add the onion and garlic, and cook very slowly for about 15 minute without colouring.

Add the rice and turn up the heat. The rice will begin to lightly fry, so continue to stir it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent.

Add the wine and keep stirring.

Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock.

Turn the heat down to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook to quickly on the outside.

Continue adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 20 minutes but always varies so taste the rice to check if its cooked. If not, continue adding the stock until the rice is soft but still has a slight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully and if you run out of stock just add some boiling water.

When the rice is almost cooked, heat a heavy bottom ovenproof fry pan or baking tray until medium hot and add a splash of olive oil.

Fry the mushrooms for a few minutes until they begin to colour, and season with salt and pepper.

Add the garlic, thyme and butter and mix together.

Place the pan in a preheated oven and roast the mushrooms for 6 minutes or so, until cooked through and rich in flavour.

Remove the risotto from the heat when cooked and add the butter, parmezan, parsley and a splash of olive oil. Stir well.

Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes.

Chop half the mushroom and garlic and stir into the risotto adding a good squeeze of lemon juice to balance flavours.

Divide between plates, sprinkle over the remaining mushrooms and drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Eat as soon as possible.

Peter Bjorn And John – Objects Of My Affection (zSHARE)