Italian Vegetables Recipes - Creamy Radicchio and Pancetta Risotto Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2 carrots, finely diced

• 4 ounces smoked pancetta, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 pound radicchio, finely shredded

• 2 1/2 cups risotto rice

• 6 1/4 cups hot Chicken or Vegetable Stock (refer recipe)

• 1/3 cup light cream

• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra to serve

• salt and pepper

Serves 6

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Method:

1. Melt half of the butter in a large saucepan and add the carrots. Cook gently for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the pancetta and garlic and cook until just beginning to color.

2. Stir in the radicchio and cook until it begins to wilt. Add the rice and stir well to coat the grains with the butter.

3. Add the hot stock, a large ladleful at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed into the rice.

4. Continue adding stock in this way, cooking until the rice is creamy but the grains are still firm. This should take about 20 minutes.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the remaining butter, the cream, and Parmesan.

6. Cover the pan and leave the risotto to rest for a few minutes before serving, sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan.

Note: This unusual dish is from the Veneto, where rice is grown as well as several varieties of radicchio. It has both a sweet and a sharp flavor.