1/3 cup finely minced red onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups red wine - not your best bottle, something full-bodied and
fruity though with some savory elements, like Malbec, Monastrell or
Syrah. Nothing too green or tannic like Cabernet or Petite Sirah.
2 cups chicken stock
2 slices uncooked bacon, diced into 1/2" squares - use high quality. If it's extra smokey that helps.
1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup carnaroli or arborio rice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme - or more to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt
1) Pour the chicken stock into a medium size saucepan. Turn on heat to low. Add all but 1/4 cup of the wine to the pot.
2) Add the oil and butter to a medium-large saute pan over medium heat.
Once the butter is melted add the minced onion and garlic. Saute until
they begin to soften. About 5 minutes. Then add the bacon and
mushrooms. Cook another 5-8 minutes until they begin to brown. Be
careful of the heat. Do not burn the garlic and onion.
3) Add the rice. Stir to incorporate well and keep stirring for 2-3 minutes to evenly heat the rice.
4) Add the 1/4 wine that was held back to deglaze the pan. Make sure it
coats everything and then continue to cook until it's all absorbed or
evaporated.
5) Add you first ladleful of the stock/wine liquid. Make sure it covers
the rice but isn't drowning in it. Stir well and then every minute or
so to keep the rice coated. After about 5 minutes, the liquid should be
absorbed. If not turn up your heat a bit, so the rice is mildly
simmering. Add another two ladles of liquid, each time waiting for the
mixture to be almost dry. By this time the rice should be close to
being ready.
6) Before the 4th ladle, add a pinch of salt and pepper, as well as the
thyme. Add the liquid and stir to mix in the spices. When this final
bit is incorporated the rice should be perfectly al dente and creamy.
If it's still too hard add additional wine/broth until it's almost
done.
7) In the final addition add the cheese and a bit more stock/wine so
the risotto isn't too sticky, and any additional salt and pepper you
think it needs. Stir to mix thoroughly, turn off the heat and let sit
for a few minutes.
This one takes a bit longer since you're cooking vegetables, but is
pretty much the same once you start adding the wine/stock. It's
important to stir but it doesn't have to be constant and to taste the
rice after the third addition of liquid to see the texture of the rice
and if you have to make adjustments. I have made a lot of risottos,
some better than others and it's just something that takes repetition
to get right. It's soooo worth it though.
Serves 2 as a main meal, 4 as a side dish (some form of red meat would be best).