Prosciutto & Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto (Gluten Free)

This is my all time favourite risotto recipe. I have made many risottos in my time, and most of the recipes and flavour combinations I come up with are inspired by ingredients we have at home already. I know I have posted a risotto recipe before, and now I look back at it, the addition of quinoa must have been a temporary glitch in my risotto making system. I have no idea what I was thinking. 

I could happily eat this dish every night for dinner. Though I fear the daily use of prosciutto would drain my bank account rather quickly. Pancetta or (cooked) bacon would be great substitutes. Really, if you use the plain risotto recipe as a base, you can add just about anything. 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups arborio rice 

1 cup white wine 

1 litre chicken stock 

garlic oil, for cooking 

30 g parmesan cheese, grated

150 g sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil and roughly chopped

7-8 slices of prosciutto, roughly torn 

bunch of basil, washed, and leaves roughly chopped

parmesan cheese, grated, extra for serving 

Method: 

In a large heavy based pan on medium heat, heat the garlic oil (about 1 tbsp). Add the arborio rice and stir to coat the grains. Add the white wine. Stir occasionally, and allow the wine to be mostly absorbed by the rice. 

Once most of the wine has been absorbed, add the chicken stock. Turn the heat down a little, as you don’t want to stock to boil. Place the lid of the pan on loosely. Stir occasionally, ensuring that the stock does not boil. The rice should absorb most of the stock in about 30-40 minutes. You do want this process to be slow. 

Once most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, add the parmesan cheese, tomatoes, basil and prosciutto. Stir so all the ingredients are well distributed in the risotto. Turn the heat off and leave to sit for a couple of minutes. 

Serve with an extra sprinkling of parmesan cheese. 

Vegetable Risotto with Quinoa (Gluten Free)

Those who know me well, know that I love a good risotto. It is the only dinner related dish that I make consistently, and will order risotto about eight times out of ten when out for dinner. It’s not that I don’t like other things, its just that I really like risotto! I first started making it when I was about 16 or 17, and since then have come up with numerous recipes. Most of the time the ‘recipes’ I come up with are really just my attempt to use ingredients we already have at home. Most of the recipes I make, end up having some proportion of prosciutto, parmesan cheese (or similar) and lots of herbs. 

I first made this recipe after having a chicken dish from Nigella Lawson’s book ‘Nigellissima’. This Nigella dish had roasted capsicums and leeks cooked in the same pan as a chicken. To me the vegetables are the best part of the dish, and I thought they would make a good addition to risotto. 

I only recently started adding quinoa to my risotto recipes. I thought it was a good idea to make the dish healthier and more filling. To be perfectly honest I’m not a big fan of quinoa, and I have found that adding it to risotto is the only way I can eat it! While the combination  of quinoa and capsicums is really nice in this dish,  if you can’t stand the idea of eating quinoa (and I totally understand that!), just substitute the quinoa for more arborio rice. 

Ingredients for Roast Capsicums: 

2 tbsp olive oil 

2 red capsicums (larger sized)

2 orange or yellow capsicums (larger sized) 

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed 

Ingredients for the Risotto: 

1 tbsp garlic oil 

2 leeks, washed and chopped (white part only)

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup mixed grain quinoa, rinsed

1 cup dry white wine

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock

8 slices prosciutto (approx.), roughly torn

1/2 cup parmesan cheese (or similar), finely grated

1 bunch basil, washed and roughly chopped (leaves only)

Method: 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut up capsicums in to thick strips, discarding the seeds. In a large ovenproof dish, place one tablespoon of oil, then add the capsicums. Crush the garlic over the capsicums and drizzle over the remaining olive oil. Toss the capsicums and garlic, so everything is fairly evenly coated with oil. Place in the oven to roast for at least an hour. Keep an eye on the capsicums during this time and move them around in the tray so they cook evenly.

After the capsicums have been roasting for 20 minutes, start the risotto. Heat a large heavy based pan on the stove, on medium heat. Add the garlic oil and leeks, and cook the leeks down until they are soft. Once the leeks have softened, add the arborio rice and quinoa, and stir to coat the grains. Add the white wine and turn the heat down so the wine gently simmers, but does not boil. Allow the wine to be absorbed. Once the wine has been mostly absorbed by the grains, add the chicken stock. Stir briefly to ensure that none of the grains are stuck to the bottom of the pan, then place the lid of the pan on loosely. The risotto should not boil, only gently simmer at the very most. Keep an eye on the risotto and if it starts to boil or simmer too much, turn the heat down. Stir occasionally, and the grains should absorb most of the liquid in about 40 minutes. 

Once the capsicums are cooked, leave them in the oven on a low heat to stay warm until ready to add to the risotto. 

Once most of the liquid in the risotto has been absorbed (after 30-40 minutes), add the capsicums, basil, cheese and prosciutto and stir to combine. Turn the heat off and allow the risotto to sit for a minute before serving.

Serve with extra prosciutto, parmesan or basil as desired.

Makes 6-8 portions. 

Originally Posted May 28, 2014.