This creamy risotto recipe is flavoured with bacon, basil and roasted tomatoes so it's sure to please your palate. Risotto is the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
- 200g ready-to-cook diced onion or 1 small onion, diced
- ½ x 200g pack smoked bacon lardons
- 175g Riso Gallo 3 Grains: Italian Rice, Spelt and Barley (from Tesco and Waitrose) or risotto rice
- 150ml white wine
- 800ml chicken stock, hot
- 150g cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 3 tbsp mascarpone
- Small handful fresh basil, chopped, plus extra to garnish
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6.
- 2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan, add the onion and fry over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the bacon and fry until golden. Add the rice, stir to toast the grains, turn up the heat to medium, then add the wine and bubble for a couple of minutes.
- 3. Gradually add the hot chicken stock, a ladleful at a time, and stir continuously until all of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is al dente – about 20 minutes.
- 4. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a roasting tin, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 5-6 minutes until softened slightly. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
- 5. Stir the mascarpone and chopped basil into the risotto, divide between 2 plates, top with the roasted tomatoes and garnish with basil leaves.