This recipe feels sooooo suited to the time of year. It's a delightfully warming dish that ties in some of my favourite Autumnal flavours. It is surprisingly straight forward to make and impresses by the types of ingredients used, not by complicated cooking techniques. A lot of people are...
Ingredients ::
Chestnuts 100g (or 10 - 15)
Figs (x2)
Chicken stock 1 x pint
White wine 250ml
White onion 1 x large (Finely chopped)
Mascarpone 3 x tbsp
Pancetta x 8 rashers (chopped width ways into 1cm strips)
Sage x 2 tbsp
Risotto rice 200g
Grated Parmesan 1 x lrg handful (grated)
1. Firstly, get all your ingredients chopped up and ready. Prepping everything before allows you time to tend to your risotts.
Score your figs into a cross and place on a baking tray. Scatter the chestnuts around and put in the oven at around 180 degrees. These should take about as long as it takes to cook the risotto but keep an eye out to make sure they're not burning.
2. Next up, get your stock to boiling point and add your wine. Let the stock boil for about 5 minutes on a high heat to burn off the alcohol, then dip it low. You may well need more liquid to ensure the Risotto is cooked but this amount of stock is ample.
3. Lob a frying pan on a low to medium heat, chop your onion and soften in some Olive oil, (around 5 minutes). Then add the Risotto rice and gently toast for 2-3 minutes.
4. Begin to add the stock one ladle full at a time. The idea is to let the liquid cook in to the rice without letting it completely dry out. That said, you don't want to drown it so do be patient and keep the mixture moving and you'll be fine.
5. Grab another small frying pan and cook the Pancetta on a low heat, it won't take long at all.
6. Begin to taste the Risotto after about 20 minutes. Don't mistake Onion for undercooked rice, the Risotto should be Al Dente (very very slightly undercooked). When you think it is ready, add the chopped Sage, 3/4 of the Pancetta, the Mascarpone, Parmesan, & Chestnuts from the Oven. Season well, mix in a small knob of butter and serve up.
7. For presentation, sprawl the fig over the top of the Risotto, sprinkle the rest of the Pancetta over the plate/bowl, grate over a touch more Parmesan and add a small dollop of Mascarpone. Pow.
