Mizmoe

2 pints vegetable stock
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 oz Morel mushrooms, sliced
2 rashers smoked bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 oz arborio rice (allow 1.75 to 2.75 oz rice per person)
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 fl oz single or whipping cream (optional)
Sea salt and pepper (to taste)

Pour vegetable stock into a saucepan and set over a medium heat
Put the olive oil into a frying pan, add the onion, mushrooms and bacon, cook until soft but do not allow to colour
Add the crushed garlic and rice, stir to coat the rice in oil
Add the white wine after the grains have become translucent and the rice husks show signs of “cracking”
Reduce, add one ladleful of stock at a time, cook until amost absorbed before adding another ladleful of stock
This risotto will take around 20 minutes
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add the chopped parsley and parmesan, stir to combine
Whilst the addition of fresh cream isn’t traditional, it does add extra taste
Serves 2

This is the basic risotto recipe for 2 people to which any ingredients can be added, adjust the amount of rice to suit your appetite - about 50 to 80 grams per person. Suggestions - Mushroom/Smoked Bacon, Spinach, Pea and Mint. Replace half of the butter with olive oil if you prefer, it is healthier.

100/160 grams of arborio or carnaroli rice
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
50 grams butter, unsalted
1/2 litre of chicken, vegetable or fish stock
1 large glass of extra dry vermouth or dry white wine
50 grams Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated

Heat the stock and keep it hot - don’t allow it to evaporate
Melt most of the butter a large frying pan, when melted add the finely chopped red onion and cook until the onion is very soft and translucent - not brown (5/10 minutes)
Remove the pan from the heat, add the rice and stir for about a minute to coat each grain with butter
Reduce the heat to medium and return the pan to the heat
Pour in the wine and a ladleful of stock to cover the rice
Stir every 30 seconds
When the liquid has been almost all absorbed add another ladleful of stock and continue stirring
Repeat until the rice is cooked - 20 to 25 minutes
Ensure the last ladleful of stock has been absorbed, remove from the heat and add the remaining butter diced, stir until melted - this will ensure the risotto has a wonderful creamy consistency
Add a little more vermouth or wine, then add the grated parmesan, stir to combine