Latest Laois Recipe: Bacon and Mushroom Risotto

Bacon and Mushroom Risotto. Exactly the dish to warm you up these dark winter days.

Courtesy of Bord Bia

This is a great recipe for trying out flavoured oil.  Lemon works really well but you could also use garlic or chilli.

Serves 4

Time: 25 minutes

200g smoked bacon lardons

1 tablesp. rapeseed or olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

150g button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

300g risotto rice

400g tin chopped tomatoes

600mls warm chicken stock, homemade if possible

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A good handful of basil leaves

2 tablesp. finely grated mature cheddar cheese

To serve: A green salad

Heat the oil in a wide, shallow saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the bacon and onion and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion has softened.  Then add the mushrooms, garlic and rice and stir well to combine.  Add the tin of tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer.  Gradually add the stock, a ladleful at a time.  As the stock is absorbed add more and stir regularly until all the stock is used and the rice is cooked. This will take about 15 minutes. 

Taste and season with a little salt and pepper.

Turn off the heat, stir through the cheese and sprinkle over the basil leaves. Serve straight away with a green salad.