Spinach Pesto Risotto with Bacon and Goat's Cheese
There's something uniquely comforting about a risotto and with those cold nights starting to draw in you simply can't beat the warm hug a good bowlful gives you.
The addition of crispy bacon, crumbled goat's cheese and a zesty pesto made with spinach, anchovies, lemon and garlic takes this risotto to stratospheric flavour levels. This is perfect as a dinner party dish as it really does give the wow factor but if I'm honest I like to make it midweek and have a massive bowlful all to myself!
Spinach Pesto Risotto with Bacon and Goat's Cheese
Serves 4
100g spinach
2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Grated zest and juice ½ lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
200g streaky bacon, chopped into small chunks
1 large red onion, finely chopped
300g arborio rice
200ml dry white wine
1 litre chicken stock, hot
70g soft goat’s cheese
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the spinach, anchovy, garlic and lemon zest and juice in a small food processor and whizz to a paste. Add the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then whizz again to make a coarse spinach pesto. Set aside.
In a dry medium saucepan, fry the bacon on a medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until crisp, then using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.
Add the onion to the saucepan with a splash of oil and fry for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the rice and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and bubble for 2 minutes or until reduced by three quarters.
Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, adding the next ladle only when the previous one has been absorbed. Stir every few minutes until all the stock has been added and the rice is tender with some bite. This will take around 25-30 minutes.
Stir in the spinach pesto and crispy bacon, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with blobs of goat’s cheese.
The addition of crispy bacon, crumbled goat's cheese and a zesty pesto made with spinach, anchovies, lemon and garlic takes this risotto to stratospheric flavour levels. This is perfect as a dinner party dish as it really does give the wow factor but if I'm honest I like to make it midweek and have a massive bowlful all to myself!
Spinach Pesto Risotto with Bacon and Goat's Cheese
Serves 4
100g spinach
2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Grated zest and juice ½ lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
200g streaky bacon, chopped into small chunks
1 large red onion, finely chopped
300g arborio rice
200ml dry white wine
1 litre chicken stock, hot
70g soft goat’s cheese
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the spinach, anchovy, garlic and lemon zest and juice in a small food processor and whizz to a paste. Add the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then whizz again to make a coarse spinach pesto. Set aside.
In a dry medium saucepan, fry the bacon on a medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes until crisp, then using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.
Add the onion to the saucepan with a splash of oil and fry for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the rice and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and bubble for 2 minutes or until reduced by three quarters.
Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, adding the next ladle only when the previous one has been absorbed. Stir every few minutes until all the stock has been added and the rice is tender with some bite. This will take around 25-30 minutes.
Stir in the spinach pesto and crispy bacon, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with blobs of goat’s cheese.
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