Chorizo, pea and red wine risotto

A great little recipe and so simple. Risotto has always been one of my favourite foods to make.

Nothing quite like some slow fried chorizo, no need to add any fat. The paprika oil really sets off the risotto when drizzled over the final dish. I also used frozen peas and added them about half way through cooking, and this worked fine.

The recipe is one by Rachel Allen and can be found here. I will post it in full below.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 onion, peeled, finely chopped
• 350g/12oz risotto rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli
• 150ml/5fl oz red wine
• 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 75g/3oz hard cheese such as parmesan or Manchego, finely grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz cooking chorizo, diced
• 125g/4½oz fresh peas
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• lightly dressed green salad, to serve

Preparation method

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion, stir to coat it in the fat, then cover the pan with a lid and fry gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until the onions are softened but not coloured.
2. Add the rice and stir for 1-2 minutes, then pour in the wine. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
3. Meanwhile, heat the stock in a separate saucepan until boiling, then maintain the stock on a gentle simmer until needed.
4. Add a ladleful of stock to the rice and bring to a simmer. Stir regularly until all of the stock has been absorbed. Repeat this process until all of the stock has been used up and the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy. This should take 20-25 minutes.
5. Stir in the cheese, reserving a little for serving. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. While the risotto is cooking, heat a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add the chorizo and fry for 1-2 minutes or until the oil has been released. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. (Reserve the oil released by the chorizo for serving.)
7. Stir the cooked chorizo and the fresh peas into the risotto, then stir in the chopped parsley.
8. To serve, spoon the risotto onto warm serving plates and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese. Drizzle over the reserved oil from the chorizo. Serve with a crisp green salad.