Creamy Risotto with Endive and Smoked Bacon Bits
A creamy risotto with plenty of soft endive and savoury, crispy fried smoked bacon bits. The crème fraîche makes the dish extra creamy without complicated ingredients.
Method
- Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a pan and keep it warm over low heat. Finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the smoked bacon bits for 4 minutes until crispy and remove with a slotted spoon.
- Sauté the onion in the remaining fat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the risotto rice and sauté for 1 minute, stirring until all the grains are shiny. Then pour in a ladle of warm stock.
- Add a new ladle of stock each time the previous one is almost absorbed. Keep stirring regularly and cook the risotto for about 18 minutes until creamy and al dente.
- Gently fold the finely chopped endive into the risotto in batches and let it wilt for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the crème fraîche and half of the bacon bits, and season with black pepper. Divide onto four plates and sprinkle the remaining bacon bits on top.
Tip. Fry the bacon bits separately first and add some only when serving; this way they stay nice and crispy.