Bacon, Mushroom & Leek Risotto

Leeks, shallots, cremini mushrooms, Parmesan cheese in creamy arborio rice. Then all that gets topped with crispy slivers of applewood bacon and fresh parsley. It looks like Christmas in a bowl. It tastes like Christmas in a bowl.

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bacon, mushrooms, risotto

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 454

Author Laurie McNamara

Ingredients

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
4 slices applewood slab bacon sliced into thin strips
1½ cups finely chopped leek washed and patted dry (white and light green parts only)
1 large shallot finely diced
2 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine I like Sauvignon Blanc
16 ounce Arborio rice
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1/2 cup freshly grate Parmesan Cheese
chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Combine the broth and water in a pot over medium-low until hot (not boiling).
Drizzle oil in pot and heat over medium. Once hot add in the sliced mushrooms, stir and cook until they shrink in size and are tender. Transfer the mushrooms and their juices to a nearby bowl and set off to the side.
Add sliced bacon to the pot. Cook until crispy and use a slotted spoon to drain and transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
Add the leek, shallot, garlic and thyme to the bacon fat. Stir and cook for 4 minutes or until soft. Add in the wine and stir until absorbed.
Ladle in 1/2 cup (about 1 full ladle) of the hot broth/water to the risotto, stir constantly until absorbed.
Set aside 1/3 cup of the hot broth liquids and continue ladling in the broth, stirring until the rice has absorbed the liquids, then repeating until the liquids are gone, rice is tender and creamy.
Remove the pot off of the heat, stir in the reserved hot broth, then drop in the 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper, Parmesan and the mushrooms and their liquid.
Stir and serve immediately with crispy bacon and chopped parsley.

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