What's cooking tonight? - Leek, Dolcelatte, Porcini and Pancetta Risotto

Leek, Dolcelatte, Porcini and Pancetta Risotto

This is a delicious recipe - the photo does not do it any justice.  The Dolcelatte cheese makes this dish!

Serves 4

Ready in 35-40 minutes (most the time taken up by stirring)

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

a good knob of butter

2 large leeks, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

350g risotto rice

a couple of sprig of thyme or rosemary

30g Porcini Mushrooms

1 large glass of dry white wine

1-1.2 litres of hot vegetable or chicken stock

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

150g pancetta or bacon cubes

225g creamy Dolcelatte cheese, cut into cubes

Method

1.       Soak the Porcini Mushroom in boiling water.

2.       Heat the olive oil and butter in a deep, heavy-based frying pan or sauté pan.  Gently cook the leeks and garlic until soft but not starting to colour (this should take about 10 minutes).

3.       Add the rice and thyme or rosemary and stir for about a minute until the rice looks slightly translucent.  Pour in the wine and stir continuously until it has cooked into the rice.  Add a good ladle of hot stock and season with salt and pepper.  Turn the heat down so the risotto is simmering gently and keep adding ladles of stock as it cooks into the rice, stirring moving the rice around the pan.  (This is when you should pour yourself a large glass of wine).

4.       After about 15-20 minutes the rice should be soft but still with a bit of bite to it.  The texture of the risotto should be thick and creamy, but not too loose.  Add extra stock or hot water if necessary.

5.       Drain the Porcini Mushrooms and add to the risotto.

6.       While the risotto is cooking, slowly fry the pancetta until it is golden and crispy and keep warm.

7.       Remove the cooked risotto from the heat, fish out the thyme or rosemary sprigs and gently stir in the dolcelatte to give it a velvety texture.  Add extra stock if the risotto seems particularly thick.  Spoon into warm bowls or plates and scatter the pancetta on top.

Cook’s tips

v  This dish needs lots of attention and stirring so pour yourself a large glass of wine and put the music on – enjoy!