It is rice to see you (cheesy too)!

As always there is a floor with cooking a risotto when hungry, it means you forget to take  pictures as you go along, apart from the first one and then the empty bowl. But never mind my local butcher does this amazing bacon and it seemed sensible to make a star of it for my supper last night, so here is a simple risotto. I am normally a cook who does not really measure as I go along I kind of guess by look, if using a stock cube I always double up to get maximum flavor out of the stock. I my not so humble opinion there is no point to unsmoked bacon, it will not be in one of my recipes unless I am smoking it.

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Bacon and Courgette Risotto (serves 2 with Salad)

Olive oil
1 Small Onion
4 cloves of Garlic
Good quality dry cure smoked back/middle Bacon
½ glass of Arborio rice (about 150g)
Stock Chicken/Ham
1 Courgette
Small pinch of fresh thyme
Small handful good hard cheese, I like to use Pecorino Romano a salty cheese made from sheeps’ milk.
Black pepper

  1. In heavy pan fry onion and garlic until clear in a little olive oil. Add thyme.
  2. Add cubed courgette and fry for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Add bacon fry for further 3 minutes.
  4. Add rice, make sure it is coated with oil before adding any stock, then add the stock a ladle at a time until the rice is cooked but still with a little bite. The rice should be creamy but firm to the bite.
  5. Stir in the cheese, then serve, I like it with a light crunchy salad.