Red Wine Risotto

I feel like this doesn’t need much introduction. Risotto is yum. Red wine is yum. GO.

Wait.

Before we get started, I want to note the versatility of this recipe. The basics of this will make any type or Risotto. For traditional, just don’t add any of the wine/tomato mixture. To try different flavours, try adding 500g of mashed pumpkin, a tin of mushroom soup or a large tin of corn and lots of sage at step 8.

What you need:

2 cups Aborio rice
4 cups chicken stock (or 2 stock cubes and 4 cups of boiling water)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup red wine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
440g tin of tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt (to taste)
Lemon juice and parmesan cheese to finish

What to do:

1. In a large saucepan with a lid place onion, garlic, a little salt, olive oil and butter. 
   

   Speed slicer ... my life would be a teary mess without you

2. If you need to make your own stock, now is the to put the kettle on.
3. Turn your stove top to a high heat to melt butter and cook onion until it is slightly clear.
4. Add rice and stir thoroughly until rice is fully coated in oil/butter.
5. Cook for 2 minutes. 
   

   Rice, nicely buttered and oiled

6. Add 1/2 the stock (or 2 cups/one stock cube) and turn the heat down to medium.
7. When this is mostly absorbed (10-15 minutes), add the rest of your stock, turn heist to low and cover the pot loosely with the lid.
8. In a small frypan, combine tinned tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar.
9. Heat thoroughly for 5 minutes. 
   

   Tomatoes and wine, my old friends

10. Pour this mixture into the risotto.
11. Add sage and a little salt. You can add a little extra wine here if you like.
12. Continue to cook until all of the liquid is absorbed. You still want this to be soft and smooth so a good way to test is, using your stirrer, quickly create a well in the middle. If no liquid pools there quickly, you are done!
13. Squeeze in a large dash of lemon juice (fresh or bottled) and grate in a little parmesan cheese.
14. Take off heat and cover tightly. Let the pot sit for three minutes.
15. Give the risotto one last stir and serve! 
    

    Warning: Surprisingly filling!

Best served with some lamb or beef, this can be eaten alone or served with anything you like!