Pancetta, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Risotto with Peas

I love blue cheese and would eat it every day if I could. I love how a good Roquefort melts in the mouth with a delightful hit of pepper on the tongue. The kids like it too, but only when it's been melted into something delicious and this Pancetta, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Risotto definitely fits the bill. We love to eat it mid-week, partly because I prefer not to drink any alcohol during the week and this is a good way of using up that tempting last glass of red that tempts me from it's perch on my kitchen counter, but also because we all enjoy eating something comforting after a hard day at work or school.

Pancetta, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Risotto

Ingredients

1tsp olive oil

140 g pancetta or smoked bacon lardons, finely chopped

150 g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

300g carnaroli/arborio rice

175ml red wine

1L chicken stock, warm

25g butter

75g roquefort/stilton, chopped

25g parsley, finely chopped

15 g parmesan

Method

1. In a heavy-bottomed deep pan fry the pancetta in olive oil over a medium heat until golden. Add the mushroom and cook until softened. Transfer to a bowl and reuse the pan for the following steps.

2. Fry the onion until softened and golden. Add the garlic and cook for a minute.

3. Add the risotto rice and stir for two minutes until well coated and glossy. Lower the heat.

4. Add the red wine and stir until absorbed.

5. Add the chicken stock, a ladle at a time. Stir continuously until absorbed before adding the next one. 

6. Beat in butter, blue cheese and parsley vigorously with a wooden spoon.

7. Cover and leave to sit for 10 minutes.

8. Serve with parmesan if desired.

Serves 4.

Enjoy,

C.