Mushroom & Bacon Risotto is one of our favorite winter meals ❤️ because it’s comfort food at it’s finest. It has acid, AMAZING deliciousness and is an ABSOLUTE umami bomb.

The way I prepare my risotto is first by frying some bacon. I cook all of the fat out of the bacon, which makes it super crispy and I use that crispy bacon to finish my dish.

Using the bacon oil, I lightly saute mushrooms, shallots, the whites of some green onions and garlic until the shallots and onions are slightly translucent being careful not to burn the garlic. I then add arborio rice and toast the grains lightly. Now the wine is introduced 😋 and I add enough to cover the rice (1-ish cup). Once the wine has reduced I add the juice from half of a lemon.

I also add chicken stock throughout the cooking process and now the waiting and tending to the rice is needed. You’ll need to continuous add stock as it is absorbed by the rice.

Note: At about the halfway point, I’ll add anchovy paste. Anchovy paste is one of my favorite items to add to my cooking because it heightens the flavor and helps create that umaminess.

You’ll know the risotto is done once it doubles in size and tastes like it has some bite (30-40 minutes to cook). I typically finish my risotto with Parmesan, another slash of wine, and the juices from the other half of lemon 😋!

Finally I finished my dish with the crispy bacon, the greens tops from the green onions and lemon zest. Enjoy and cheers 🥂!

Mushroom & Bacon Risotto

Makes 3-4 servings

• 4 slices of bacon, sliced in 1/4 inch bites
• 2 shallots, chopped
• The whites and greens of two green onions, chopped and separated
• 3 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 lemon, both the juice and zest
• Anchovy paste, optional
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
• Salt & pepper, as needed