Passion for Pork www.PassionforPork.com

Bacon & Pea Risotto Recipe

Sharman - Tuesday, August 27, 2013

There is only a few more days until Bacon Day 2013 at Lux Restaurant & bar so its time to announce the winners of Passion For Pork’s International Bacon Day recipe contest. Each day this week I will share a recipe from a bacon-loving home cook who dropped off an entry to Nicola and Alan Irving at one of their Irving Farms farmer’s market booths this month.

Last night I tested out Jill Burton’s Bacon & Pea risotto to rave reviews (from my friends Michelle and Heather). Congrats to Jill on winning a ticket to Lux’s 4 annual Bacon Day Dinner with me on Saturday night.

Chef Paul Shufelt and his band of merry chefs are sure to be serving up a family-style bacon dinner of epic pork proportions. If you would like to join me – tickets are still available. If you are in town over the long weekend you will not want to miss this dinner. Click here for ticket information.

Pea & Bacon Risotto

Bacon & Pea Risotto

Ingredients:

8 slices Irving Farms bacon
2 cups peas (thawed if using frozen)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
7 cups simmering chicken stock
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 sprigs of fresh dill

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and space slices of bacon on top. Bake for 8-10 minutes until cooked. Drain the bacon on paper towel and chop into small pieces; reserve remaining bacon fat.
  2. In a blender, food processor or hand mixer, puree 1 cup of the peas in 1 cup of water.
  3. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is evenly coated with the oil. Add the wine and simmer until almost evaporated, 3 minutes.
  4. Add enough hot stock to just cover the rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the stock has been absorbed. Add more stock to cover the rice. Continue cooking and stirring, adding more stock as it is absorbed, until the rice is al dente, approximately 25 minutes.
  5. Add the pea puree, the remaining peas and the bacon and cook, stirring, until hot. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir cheese, 1 tbsp of bacon fat, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper.