Bacon and Vegetable Risotto
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 200g/ about 1 cup bacon lardons
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 400g/ 1⅔ cup arborio rice
  • 1.5 liters/6.5 cups vegetable stock (you might not use all of it)
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 200g/about 1 cup frozen soy beans
  • 200g/about 1.5 cups frozen peas
  • 50g/1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • hunk of butter, about 2 tablespoons
  • pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large pot heat the vegetable stock until it is lightly simmering. Let it keep simmering throughout the cooking process.
  2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. Seriously, use your pan with the largest diameter.
  3. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook until lightly brown.
  4. Add the onions to the oil and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the garlic and arborio rice and cook for 1 minute to toast.
  6. Pour in about half the stock (enough to cover the rice) and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed so the whole thing is bubbling happily but not ferociously boiling.
  7. Add the soy beans and stir.
  8. Add a ladle full of stock and stir. Repeat. This is where you need to be nearby. Basically, you're adding a ladle full of stock, stir, and then add more stock once the first stock is mostly absorbed. Keep adding stock until the rice is cooked. It's ready when the rice is tender and you have a saucy consistency. Your goal is to have this whole cooking process done in about 20 minutes (might be less, might be more that's ok).
  9. When the rice is cooked, add the peas and cook for 1 minute more.
  10. Remove from the heat.
  11. Stir in the butter and Parmesan.
  12. Season with some pepper and serve immediately.
Recipe by Cooking is Messy at https://www.cookingismessy.com/2015/06/04/bacon-and-vegetable-risotto/