Let's Kick Things Off

Let's just kick things off with a recipe. It's one of my favorites.

I'm a huge fan of salty meat, starch, garlic, and cheese. This recipe for bacon-parmesan risotto covers all four of those. It's my favorite comfort food, gut-buster food, fun to make if you are in the mood to cook, and quite honestly, delicious. I first tried risotto while working at City Park Grill, and I fell in love. Since then, I've come up with a few variations on the standard version with Arborio rice - the stuff's expensive! - and made mock versions with regular long grain rice, and even a "faux-sotto" using milk in place of some of the chicken stock and instant rice instead of Arborio. Yes, I know there are culinary giants out there who would smack me silly for using instant rice, but hey. Innovation is a good thing, and besides, Jeremy hates al dente rice. So there you go. Anyway, this is the basic recipe.

Parmesan and Applewood Bacon Risotto:

12 oz applewood bacon, cut into lardons
5 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced (I use a razor blade. Goodfellas-style)
salt and fresh black pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Brown bacon lardons in high sided heavy skillet over medium heat.
Remove with slotted spoon, reserving fat in pan. Add garlic and rice
and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is translucent and rice
grains are all coated in fat.

Meanwhile, bring stock in saucepot up to a boil, then reduce to a
simmer. Reduce heat under rice to medium low.

Add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, to rice and garlic. Stir until liquid is
completely absorbed into rice before adding the next batch.

When you add the last ladle of stock, fold in bacon lardons and
parmesan cheese. Stir and cook till it's all combined. Serve
immediately.