So we were all in need of a bit of comfort food last night.  And this packet of bloody Carnaroli rice has been sitting in the cupboard glaring at me every time I go in there for a tin of beans.  Me and risotto have a chequered history.  It’s not that I don’t like it, oh no, it’s just that every time I make it, I get that kind of ‘hmmm’ response from my lot that means ‘yeah, it’s okay’, not the more favourable ‘mmmm’ which translates to ‘wow, that was fabulous’.  My best effort was Jamie Oliver’s pea and prawn risotto which is rather nice.

Anyhoo, I was in the mood for a bit of messing in the kitchen (keep it clean, people) and this is the result:

2 pints chicken stock

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

300g carnaroli or arborio rice

3 or 4 large flat mushrooms

1 pack streaky bacon

2 chicken breasts (free range, natch)

Handful of frozen peas

Parmesan cheese to taste

So first things first, get your stock bubbling on the hob and plop your chicken breasts in to poach.  Get a nice heavy based pan and chuck in a big slice of butter and a glug of olive oil.  Finely chop your onion and garlic and let it soften on a low heat.  Snip up the streaky bacon and add to the pan along with your sliced mushrooms.  Keep it cooking until the mushrooms and onions are starting to look a little golden, then add your rice and stir around.

Now you can start to add ladles of your stock, one at a time, making sure all the liquid is absorbed before adding another.  It takes a while but the stirring is really therapeutic.  When the stock’s nearly gone your chicken breasts should be ready, so chop them up and add them to the risotto as well.  Finally, bung in a final knob of butter, stir it through and leave it to sit for 5 minutes with a lid on, just to get even creamier.  Taste, season, and pile into big bowls to eat in front of the telly.

A little fresh thyme would be lovely with this, but I didn’t have any.  Enjoy!

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