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When it's cold outside

This tasty risotto brings Mediterranean warmth
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November 1st, 2006 issue

Dressing up risotto gives you a hearty, pleasing dish.

By Reinhard Danzinger

This is something I love to eat when temperatures drop. Risotto is hearty and warming and good.

After some practice, you will be able to prepare a perfect risotto in 30 minutes — very convenient on days when you come home late and need a warm meal. You can prepare the chicken stock in advance and freeze it. Vermouth provides an extra edge to the risotto, and finishing with mint provides a fresh contrast to the Gorgonzola.

This is one of the stars of our fall menu at Il Giardino. It serves four people, who will be very, very happy.

Risotto Verde With Pancetta and Gorgonzola
Ingredients Preparation
80 grams (2.8 ounces) Pancetta bacon, cut into cubes
20 milliliters (0.6 fluid ounces) olive oil
50 grams onions, chopped
15 grams butter
10 grams garlic, chopped
250 grams Carnaroli rice
100 milliliters dry white wine
10 milliliters extra dry vermouth
750 milliliters chicken stock, hot
1 gram saffron
Salt and pepper to taste
300 grams fresh spinach, washed
60 grams Gorgonzola
60 grams butter
10 grams mint, chopped. Save one leaf for garnish
Pine nuts, roasted
30 grams freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 grams pine nuts, toasted 		Boil the chicken stock with the saffron.
In a large saucepan, fry the Pancetta in its own fat until crispy. Remove from pan and reserve.
Discard the fat, pour olive oil in pan and then sauté onions until shiny.
Add the butter and
garlic and cook until the butter is melted.
Add the rice, and sauté for about two minutes until evenly white.
Add the white wine and vermouth, stir well and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed.
Season with salt and pepper.
Lower the heat, add one-third hot chicken stock and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
Repeat until all chicken stock is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
While adding the final third of the chicken stock, also add spinach and fried bacon.
Cook until almost all liquid is evaporated.
The rice should be al dente.
Turn off the heat; add the Parmesan and the butter.
Stir until achieving a creamy consistency.
Add the Gorgonzola pieces and the chopped mint.
Garnish with pine nuts.

Reinhard Danzinger, Executive Chef in the Mövenpick Hotel Prague,

Mozartova 261/1, Prague 5–Smíchov. Tel. 257 151 111, www.moevenpick-prague.com


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