Pea & Bacon Risotto

Hello amazing-ness!

You HAVE to try this one!  The boyfriend loves peas, and really, who doesn't love bacon?  This was my first time making a risotto, and I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with how it turned out.  :)



What you need:

- 2 cups Arborio rice (risotto rice)
- 3/4 of a 12oz. bag of frozen peas (slightly unthawed)
- 5 slices of bacon (or more if you KNOW you're going to snack!)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- garlic, minced (as much as you want!)
- 1 and a half boxes chicken stock, low sodium
- 1/2 cup white wine
- olive oil
- salt & pepper (I love lemon pepper, but regular will do)

 ^why yes, that is a nice bottle of 2 buck chuck!

Get started! :

1.  Using a food processor (a blender with a puree mode works fine!), puree peas with a little chicken stock, adding more as you check consistency (I ended up using about 1/4 box for this part), until you have soft, beautiful green mush.  See picture below.

2. In a small pot, heat 1 box chicken stock on low.

3.  In a fairly large pan, cook the bacon on medium heat.  Remove bacon from pan, but do not drain the fat.  I repeat, DO NOT DRAIN THE FAT!  Chop the bacon once cool.

4.  Add onion to the pan.  Let cook about 2 minutes.  Then add the garlic.

5.  To this same pan, add the rice.  Let it sizzle in the bacon fat for about 5-7 minutes, adding a little olive oil (2 Tbsp) if there's not much bacon fat. 

6.  Add the white wine to the rice.  Once absorbed, start adding chicken stock one ladle at a time, stirring continuously, until the rice has soaked it up, then repeat until stock is all gone.  This will take about 15-20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.

7. Turn off the heat and add the pea puree and chopped bacon.  VOILA! You have made amazing risotto!  Enjoy!