Cheddar Risotto

If you're intimidated by risotto:  

#1 - Don't be.

#2 - Try this recipe.   

This is one of my family's favorite risotto dishes and meets two of my requirements for a "weeknight keeper recipe" - simple and delicious!  It's pure comfort food that is easy to whip up from ingredients you might already have on hand.  It only serves 2, so I usually double the recipe since the leftovers are just as delicious!

Cheddar Risotto

Ingredients

• 
  
  1 T  butter


• 
  
  1 T  vegetable oil


• 
  
  2 fat scallions, finely chopped


• 
  
  1.5 cups risotto rice (arborio)


• 
  
  1/2 cup white wine


• 
  
  1/2 tsp dijon mustard (we like whole grain dijon mustard)


• 
  
  4 cups hot vegetable stock (chicken stock works fine too)


• 
  
  1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese


• 
  
  2 T chopped chives (optional)

 

Instructions

1. 
   
   Melt butter and oil in a large pan. Add scallions and cook until softened.


2. 
   
   Add the rice and keep stirring for a minute. Then turn up the heat, add the wine and mustard, and stir until the wine is absorbed.


3. 
   
   Start ladling in the hot stock, 1 ladle at a time. After each ladleful, stir until it is absorbed by the rice before adding the next.


4. 
   
   Keep stirring and ladling until the rice is al dente (about 18 minutes). 


5. 
   
   Next, add the sharp cheddar to the rice, mixing until it melts.


6. 
   
   Take the pan off the heat and immediately spoon into serving dishes.  Sprinkle with chopped chives if you wish.

Serves 2

*Original recipe can be found in the cookbook, Nigella Express, by Food Network's Nigella Lawson.