It’s a new year, and it’s time for some new inspiration. My dearest Mother has clearly decided that imitating home chefs just isn’t good enough. She bought me recipe books from some of the best kitchens in London (I haven’t eaten at any of them, sad to say), including Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor, which this recipe comes from.
This rather salty but sexy combo of pancetta and gorgonzola is rather exciting. It certainly packs a punch, and I will admit isn’t for the faint hearted. But certainly worth a try!
Good things: Salty and filling
Bad things: Gorgonzola might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Ingredients & requirements: serves up to 4
- 25g unsalted butter
- 2 shallots
- 1 garlic clove
- 100g pancetta lardons
- 250g arborio rice
- 1 glass white wine
- 500ml chicken stock
- 125g gorgonzola picante, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 30g grated parmesan
Preparation & cooking
Preparations:
- Put a chicken stock cube into just over 500ml of boiling water
- Finely chop the 2 shallots, set aside
- Finely grate 30g of parmesan, set aside
- Prepare the 250g of arborio rice so you can just add it later.
- Prepare the 125g of gorgonzola
- Chop up some parsley so you have 2 tablespoons worth
- Peel and finely chop up 1 garlic clove
Cooking:
- Melt 25g of butter in a wide saucepan over a medium heat
- The saute the shallots for 5 mins (but don’t let them colour)
- Add the chopped garlic and 100g pancetta lardons. Cook slowly for another 5 mins.
- Add 250g of arborio rice and coat in butter
- Add the glass of white wine and stir until absorbed
- Add, ladleful by ladleful, the chicken stock until all used up (roughly 20-25 mins)
- At the end, stir in the 125g of gorgonzola with the chopped parsley.
- Season and split between two dishes. Sprinkle the 30g of grated parmesan over the top of the served risotto.
Reflections:
So the recipe book says this serves 2. I’d say unless you are completely and utterly obsessed with gorgonzola, it makes 4. I got half way through and thought ‘great, but I think I need to stop’. In all fairness, blue cheese is perhaps one of the very few cheeses I have a limit on.
