Bleu Cheese and Bacon Risotto

Bleu Cheese and Bacon Risotto

I have lots of thoughts swirling in my head these days around the topic of hospitality. Many of these thoughts were stirred after reading Shauna Niequist’s book Bread and Wine. And while I’m still processing a lot of what she had to say about communion and unity and fellowship and breaking bread together (and studying scriptures on the subject to form my own opinions), I have loved trying a few of the recipes she included in the book. She describes risotto as a comfort food, and she gives great detail about how to make it and how to combine flavors. It was from her inspiration that I came up with Bleu Cheese and Bacon Risotto.

Risotto definitely falls into the comfort food category! It’s a classic Italian dish that can be made a bazillion different ways, with any combination of ingredients. It’s typically made with arborio rice, which is starchy and becomes creamy as it cooks. You can add any kind of sauce, cheese, protein, or veggies you like. There is no right or wrong way to enjoy risotto. I chose to start with Bleu Cheese and Bacon Risotto, and it was delicious!

I sauteed an onion, some garlic, and a package of sliced mushrooms in about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. When the veggies were tender, I added a cup of white wine and two cups of arborio rice. I then let it cook until the wine was absorbed into the rice.

When the wine is absorbed into the rice, you begin adding in the chicken stock. The most important thing to remember about cooking risotto is that it is really easy to let it burn to the bottom of the pan. You HAVE to stir and stir and stir to keep it from sticking. Each time you add stock and stir, the sauce will become creamier. Once you have added all of the stock, taste the risotto to make sure the rice is tender. If it’s not, add an additional cup of water and cook a few minutes longer. When rice is tender and sauce is creamy, remove from heat. Add in bleu cheese and stir to melt cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Scoop by spoonfuls onto a plate or bowl. Top with bacon and green onions.

[yumprint-recipe id=’25’]

Comments

  1. You had me at blue cheese! This looks delicious!

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