Risotto with Brie, Bacon and Peas

Saturdays are generally the days that we have to get pretty creative for meals. Since Sunday is grocery day, Saturday is spent scavenging and scheming to come up with something palatable for lunch. Using the word palatable to describe yesterday's lunch would be the understatement of the Millennium.


Risotto with Brie, Bacon and Peas
1 cup Arborio rice
3 tablespoons of butter
1 cup white wine
Chicken stock as needed (heated)
1 Shallot diced
3 pieces of bacon chopped
1/2 cup of oyster mushroom chopped
1 cup green peas
1/3 cup brie, chopped

1. Cook the rice as you normally would for risotto. Melt the butter, sauté the shallots, add rice and coat with butter. Then add the wine, cooking over low heat. Once the wine is absorbed add chicken stock, a little at a time. Wait until stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more.

2. In the mean time, sauté the mushrooms in olive oil and set aside. Cook the bacon until crispy. If the peas are fresh, blanch in boiling water for about 5 minutes. If they are frozen, just make sure they are thawed.

3. When the rice is almost completely tender but has just a little bit of bite and all of the liquid had been absorbed, stir in the mushrooms, peas and cheese. Keep over low heat until the cheese is completely melted. (brie melts super quick) Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. Serve in bowls and sprinkle bacon pieces on top.

We eat risotto all the time. It's so easy and super versitile. I still think this may be my favorite that we have tried so far. The brie made this risotto super creamy, and the bacon really set it off. Peas are a staple for my risottos so there was no way they could get left out of this one. I used the mushrooms because I am a fiend for the texture of oyster mushrooms.