The Angel Lounge

This really seems like something that is calling for one of Jayne 's unique recipes, but let me share one of my own.

I make a delicious rice risotto, and it's easy to make the recipe simple enough for metric or imperial measurements. The bonus is that I can remember the recipe off the top of my head...

You can have it vegetarian, or with chicken or bacon, your choice. I generally have it vegetarian, but my husband loves it with bacon.

If using bacon, in a large pan, fry bacon in a little oil until cooked to desired crispiness. In my humble opinion, the only way to eat bacon is when it's so crispy it snaps in half, but you do you. If using chicken, cook until cooked through (duh) in a little oil.
Lightly fry one cup of arborio rice in a little oil. If you've cooked the bacon or chicken, you just throw the rice in with the meat. Stir continuously.
When the rice starts to smell like popcorn and turning a light golden brown (or it starts to stick to the bottom or burn because you've got the heat too high!), add one cup of risoni or orzo pasta (same thing, different name) and one cup of white wine. If you prefer not to use alcohol, use one cup of chicken or vegetable stock instead. White wine does give it a bit of something extra. I have used nice white wine when it was all I had, but chateau cardboard from a cask does the trick perfectly. I keep a cask of chateau cardboard in my pantry for this exact purpose. Keep stirring continuously. Yes, your arm will get tired. Yes, there is a LOT of stirring involved in this dish, but it's worth it.
When the wine/stock has been absorbed, add more stock (not wine!). Add about a cup at a time, and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed, then add the next cup. Invoke your inner Dory. "Just keep stirring, just keep stirring..." If you have teenagers, it's quite handy to give them the task of stirring.
When you're adding the eighth cup of stock (or ninth if you didn't use wine for the first one), add a cup of frozen baby peas (or petits pois as Nigella Lawson calls them). And surprise, surprise...stir!
When the last cup of stock has been absorbed, turn the heat off. Add a cup of grated cheese. I use parmesan and tasty cheddar, but I think pretty much any hard cheese will do. You can add more cheese if you want to. Pre-WW I was very generous with my cheese. That's why I'm now on WW. Stir until the cheese has melted and been mixed in.
Serve hot with freshly cracked black pepper over the top. You probably won't need salt.

Yum....


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