Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups risotto rice (300 g)
- 1/2 cup white wine (125 ml)
- 4 cups chicken broth, brought to a bare simmer (1 litre)
- 1 small head radicchio, cored and very thinly sliced (250-300 g)
- 35 g Parmesan, freshly grated
- 1 handful fresh oregano, leaves picked and chopped (1 tablespoon)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter, to finish (30 g)
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat the oil over medium heat and gently fry the onion until soft (about 4-5 minutes). Add the rice and stir well until coated in oil; fry for a minute or so.
- Season with a little salt then add in the white wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, then add a ladle of hot broth (1/4 cup / 60 ml). Cook, stirring constantly, and keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed before adding the next ladle full.
- Continue simmering and adding broth, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until the rice is still firm on the inside but beginning to soften (20 minutes).
- Stir in the sliced radicchio (reserving some for garnish) and more broth and cook, so the leaves start to wilt and lose their colour. When the rice is al dente, add the last ladle full the broth, as well as the butter, parmesan and oregano. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir and leave for a minute or before spooning onto plates. Garnish with a little fresh radicchio and additional cheese. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- If you prefer a more subtle bitterness, the best radicchio to use for this risotto recipe is the long type, called radicchio di Treviso. However the short, round balls of radicchio work well too as their bitter mellows somewhat as it cooks.
- I also serve this with a balsamic creme for anyone who prefers a little sweetness to balance out the bitterness. I like to make a mix of sweet and spicy dressing with 2 tablespoons balsamico creme, 1/2 small red chilli, finely chopped, 1 garlic clove, minced and 1 teaspoon finely grated zest from an organic orange.
- Fresh oregano can be replaced by 1 teaspoon dry oregano.