Bacon & Mushroom Risotto

Despite having brown, white long grain, and Calrose rices in the pantry, I found it necessary to buy a 2-pound bag of Arborio rice.  I wanted risotto.  I'm defending the splurge by only using items on hand in this recipe.  You'll see by the asterisks that the only thing I bought was the rice.

I could have rehydrated the mushrooms in the simmering broth, but I figured they take about as long as the rice and just tossed them in.  If you use 8 oz of fresh mushrooms, you will use a cup less of broth.  This recipe counts that the dehydrated mushrooms will soak up some of it; fresh mushrooms will give off moisture as they cook.

There is no added salt in this recipe.  There's a trace in the broth, butter, and onion, but a lot in the bacon.  Even before adding the bacon, I was pretty happy with the seasoning level of the rice.  It was just under-salted enough not to be overpowered by the meat.

*1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tb butter
*1/2 C diced onion
*1 clove garlic, minced
1 C Arborio rice
*1/4 C dry white wine (optional)
*1 oz (about 1/2 C) dried mushrooms
*1/2 lb bacon
*1/4 tsp dried thyme
pepper to taste
*grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

1.  Start heating the broth in a saucepan over medium heat.  Once it reaches a low boil, lower heat to a simmer.  In a separate skillet, start cooking the bacon over medium heat.  Turn frequently and remove when done, about 15 minutes.  Drain off the fat, allow bacon to cool, and chop into bite-sized pieces.

2.  While the bacon is cooking, start the risotto.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then cook diced onion until soft.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add rice and let it absorb the butter, working the grains frequently to keep from burning.  If using, add wine and allow it to burn off, partially soaking into the rice.

3.  Reduce heat to medium and add a ladle of broth to the rice.  Stir in dried mushrooms.  Stir until liquid is absorbed.  Add another ladle and repeat, but you no longer have to stir constantly.  It should be soupy enough to add the thyme and pepper.  Stir frequently, adding another ladle of broth whenever the risotto starts to look dry.  You can stop long enough to tend to the bacon, but don't forget the pot.

4.  Once the rice and mushrooms can no longer easily absorb the broth, you're done.  You may still have some broth in the pot, but you're making a creamy rice dish, not soup.  Add the chopped bacon and stir to combine.  Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan.

Difficulty rating  :)