Leek, Bacon and Winter Greens Risotto
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Leeks, bacon and greens are a wonderful combination – add sage, garlic and parmesan and you’ve created a winner.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
knob of butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped sage
1½ cups arborio rice
½ cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock, hot
sea salt and ground pepper
Winter greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
pinch chilli flakes
100 grams streaky bacon, thinly sliced
250 grams broccolini
100 grams baby spinach or silverbeet leaves
¼ cup mascarpone
parmesan cheese, for grating
METHOD
Winter greens: Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and add the garlic, chilli and bacon. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Cut the broccolini into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Cook until crisp tender, then add the spinach or silverbeet leaves and turn to wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Risotto: Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan and add the onion, leek, garlic and sage. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook until tender. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute.
Add the wine and simmer until it has been absorbed. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until each has been absorbed before adding the next. After about 20 minutes the risotto should be quite loose in consistency, with the rice cooked but still with a tiny bite. Stir in the mascarpone and the bacon and greens.
To serve: Spoon the risotto into warm shallow dishes and top with a generous grating of parmesan. Serves 4.

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