Bacon & Leek Risotto
Yields: 5-6 servings
Time: Prep 15 minutes, cook 30-60 minutes
I remember making risotto for the first time when I was a tween. I had just seen Lidia Bastianich (the Nonna of Italian cooking) at a convention. During her demonstration, she prepared a basic risotto with lots of onion and lots of cheese. It was one of the tastiest things I have ever tried. The texture was creamy with just the right, tiniest hint of bite left in the rice, almost like an al dente noodle. I learned that day that the key to the perfect risotto is patience. Very slowly adding moisture to the rice allows the moisture to absorb bit by bit and tenderize the rice from the inside out. You know the risotto is done when it creates la onda, the Italian saying for what the perfect risotto looks like. La onda means “the wave”, referring to the rice slowly returning to fill the space after a spoon has been run through it. That wave and tasting for doneness are the best ways I’ve found to get the perfect texture. It’s worth the time!
Ingredients:
1 leek, cleaned thoroughly, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
5 scallions, chopped
6 strips cooked bacon, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
Rendered duck fat
3/4 c dry white wine
2 tbsp. cooking sherry
2 cups Arborio rice
1 bay leaf
7-9 cups chicken stock (homemade strongly suggested)
Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Directions
Step One:
Wash the rice thoroughly with cold water until the water runs totally clear. Drain and set rice aside.
In a small pot, bring chicken stock to a light boil, reduce heat, and keep covered.
Step Two:
Heat a large, high-walled skillet over medium-high heat. Mix a few tablespoons of rendered duck fat into a large swig of olive oil. Once fats are melted and shimmering, sauté leek, onion, and 3/4 of the chopped scallions for 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Add garlic and continue to cook until veggies are soft and slightly translucent.
Note: Duck fat is PACKED with flavor, it’s a great way to add extra oomph to this dish. But if you’re fresh out, butter is fine!
Step Three:
Pour in wine and sherry, bring to a boil and let reduce by about 1/3 or until you can no longer smell the alcohol in the steam. Mix in rice and bay leaf and toast for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with about 1/2 a tablespoon of salt.
Step Four:
Make sure chicken stock is still very hot. The hotter the broth, the better it will absorb into the rice.
One ladle at a time (yes, one), slowly introduce stock to the rice mixture. Stir periodically until moisture is fully absorbed; there should be little to no broth pooling when you peek under the rice. Continue process of adding one ladle at time for 15-20 minutes.
Step Five:
After about 15/20 mins you should be just half way through your broth. At this point, taste your rice for texture and flavor. Season with more salt if needed. Stir in 3/4 of your bacon, reserving the rest for plating.
Repeat the ladle process until rice is nice and soft; texture should be almost porridge-like. You may or may not use all the broth- paciencia y fe!
Step Six:
Once rice is cooked, taste for seasoning. Grate as much parm into risotto as you like (I like mine cheesy, about 1 cup), keeping salt content in mind. Once the flavor is to your liking, remove from heat and remove bay leaf.
Step Seven:
To serve, scoop risotto into a shallow bowl and top with chopped bacon and scallion and a fresh grating of parm!
The Perfect Palate
Take out the bacon, red onion, and scallion and this recipe becomes the perfect base for a simple risotto. Have fun experimenting with different ingredient combos. Risotto lends itself very easily to all different types of proteins, alliums, and fungi. Try morels and garlic scapes in the spring, lobster and wild mushrooms in summer. The possibilities are endless!
