Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

This Risotto is rich and indulgent and totally luxurious. Having said that- I made it completely from scraps.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

It was one of those nights where I just couldn’t bring myself to go to the grocery store. Not for anything. So I went freezer diving.

I found some bacon.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

Just about the only thing in my crisper was a red onion. Soo I chopped it up, and cooked it until soft in butter and oil and bacon fat. Yes, I did.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I added the risotto and cooked for a few minutes.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

So I was thinking red onion and bacon risotto. Yum. Then I saw the obscene amount of half empty bottles of red wine that I stash down by the pots. I always hoard the left over wine thinking that I will make stew, soup, sauce, etc. And well, I decided that I was going to add it to the risotto. So I added it to the chicken stock.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

Add then mixed the wine and broth into the rice.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

And you know the drill with risotto. Stir and stir and stir.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I added a bunch of grated Parmesan from the loan hunk in the cheese drawer and stir until creamy.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I crumbled the bacon over the top of the risotto, added some parmesan, and got really lucky because our herb garden is actually in bloom, so I had fresh chives.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I also added a drizzle of balsamic reduction for acidity.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

So now we have Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Onion, and it is wonderful! Not bad for scraps, huh?!

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

**By the way- how do you feel about the new format of not breaking up the instructions? and putting the pictures above instead- PLEASE let me know what you think! and if you like this or the old way better 🙂

Recipe: Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Onions

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 red onion, small diced
  • 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
  • 2 Tbs fresh chives, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Balsamic Reduction (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1) In a large, heavy sauté pan, cook 6 pieces of bacon over medium heat until crispy and all of the fat has been rendered. Set the bacon aside.
  2. 2) In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock and 2 cups red wine to a simmer.
  3. 3) Meanwhile, melt the butter and the olive oil together in the large sauté pan.
  4. 4) Add the onion and sweat until tender over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes.
  5. 5) Add the Arborio rice and cook with the onions and until the rice is translucent on the outside, and opaque in the center- about 3 minutes.
  6. 6) Add the rest of the red wine, 1 cup at a time, and using a wooden spoon, stir and stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
  7. 7) This is where you begin to add the chicken stock/wine mixture, a cup at a time, to the risotto. (It works best if you have the two simmering pans right next to each other.)
  8. 8) You just keep stirring and stirring. As the stock is cooked into the rice and it begins to dry out, you ladle more in.
  9. 9) Just keep ladling stock in and stirring until the stock is gone and the rice is tender. This usually takes about 20 minutes.
  10. 10) When the rice is tender, remove the risotto from the heat.
  11. 11) Stir in the cheese and then season to taste with kosher salt.
  12. 12) Dish up with a garnish of shredded Parmesan the crispy bacon and a sprinkle of chives. Serve hot immediately.
  13. 13) I also added a lovely drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, which was delicious!

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

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Categorized: Pasta
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Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

This Risotto is rich and indulgent and totally luxurious. Having said that- I made it completely from scraps.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

It was one of those nights where I just couldn’t bring myself to go to the grocery store. Not for anything. So I went freezer diving.

I found some bacon.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

Just about the only thing in my crisper was a red onion. Soo I chopped it up, and cooked it until soft in butter and oil and bacon fat. Yes, I did.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I added the risotto and cooked for a few minutes.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

So I was thinking red onion and bacon risotto. Yum. Then I saw the obscene amount of half empty bottles of red wine that I stash down by the pots. I always hoard the left over wine thinking that I will make stew, soup, sauce, etc. And well, I decided that I was going to add it to the risotto. So I added it to the chicken stock.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

Add then mixed the wine and broth into the rice.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

And you know the drill with risotto. Stir and stir and stir.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I added a bunch of grated Parmesan from the loan hunk in the cheese drawer and stir until creamy.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I crumbled the bacon over the top of the risotto, added some parmesan, and got really lucky because our herb garden is actually in bloom, so I had fresh chives.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

I also added a drizzle of balsamic reduction for acidity.

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

So now we have Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Onion, and it is wonderful! Not bad for scraps, huh?!

Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Red Onion

**By the way- how do you feel about the new format of not breaking up the instructions? and putting the pictures above instead- PLEASE let me know what you think! and if you like this or the old way better 🙂

Recipe: Red Wine Risotto with Bacon and Onions

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 red onion, small diced
  • 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
  • 2 Tbs fresh chives, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Balsamic Reduction (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1) In a large, heavy sauté pan, cook 6 pieces of bacon over medium heat until crispy and all of the fat has been rendered. Set the bacon aside.
  2. 2) In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock and 2 cups red wine to a simmer.
  3. 3) Meanwhile, melt the butter and the olive oil together in the large sauté pan.
  4. 4) Add the onion and sweat until tender over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes.
  5. 5) Add the Arborio rice and cook with the onions and until the rice is translucent on the outside, and opaque in the center- about 3 minutes.
  6. 6) Add the rest of the red wine, 1 cup at a time, and using a wooden spoon, stir and stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
  7. 7) This is where you begin to add the chicken stock/wine mixture, a cup at a time, to the risotto. (It works best if you have the two simmering pans right next to each other.)
  8. 8) You just keep stirring and stirring. As the stock is cooked into the rice and it begins to dry out, you ladle more in.
  9. 9) Just keep ladling stock in and stirring until the stock is gone and the rice is tender. This usually takes about 20 minutes.
  10. 10) When the rice is tender, remove the risotto from the heat.
  11. 11) Stir in the cheese and then season to taste with kosher salt.
  12. 12) Dish up with a garnish of shredded Parmesan the crispy bacon and a sprinkle of chives. Serve hot immediately.
  13. 13) I also added a lovely drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, which was delicious!

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

Recipe by Heather Christo (http://heatherchristo.com)