Bacon Gouda Risotto
It is my humble opinion that Risotto should have mushrooms in it. However, we all know those lovely, and annoying soles who can’t get down with fungus. This recipe was specifically created with the male elders on my father’s side of my family, in mind.
Bacon Gouda Risotto Recipe:
2-3 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 slices of Hills thick cut bacon ~235 g or ~8.3 oz
4 cups high-quality chicken stock (I use some kinda hippy-dippy organic free range bone stock.)
1.5 tablespoons (50 mL) Bacon fat
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups (400 g) Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Italian herb blend (I mix my own rosemary, sage, basil, oregano, thyme…)
4 slices or 176 g 6-8 oz Gouda cheese
~2 teaspoons Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper (I go heavy handed here)
Procedure:
Do your prep. work first; Measure your rice, stock, mince you shallots, and garlic. etc. Cut the bacon into small pieces,
Then, cook the bacon al dente in your sexy 12” cast iron skillet.
Move the bacon to a large pot or dutch oven, and retain the bacon fat in a measuring cup (graduated cylinder)
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken broth to a simmer. Reduce heat too low.
In the 12” skillet add 1.5 tablespoon (50 mL) bacon fat, a bay leaf, the Italian herb blend, and a good amount of fresh ground black pepper. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant. ~60 seconds.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of butter to the 12” skillet and add the arborio rice, stirring constantly. Cook until the grains are well-coated and smell slightly toasty, about 2 minutes.
Add the wine, deglaze the skillet, and cook until the wine has mostly absorbed.
Move the rice into the large pot, or Dutch oven with the bacon, and shallots.
With a ladle, add about 1 cup hot broth. Stirring constantly, cook until the rice has mostly absorbed the liquid. Add remaining broth about 1 cup at a time. Continue to allow the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. Stir constantly, and cook until the risotto is al dente and creamy, not mushy. (You might not need all the broth.)
Stir in cheese, and 1 or 2 more tablespoons of butter, adjust salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with parsley, or green onions. Serve warm.