My favorite Risotto Recipe

This recipe I use and sometimes alter the meat that I use in it. Sometimes I use sausage, sometimes hamburger, chicken and sometimes chorizo (Portuguese Sausage) and sometimes just veggies.

2 TBSP butter
2 ounces Pancetta or Bacon
6 ounces meat of your choice
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1-1/2 cups Arborio Rice
3/4 cup white wine
5 cups (3 cans) Chicken broth (low sodium)
1/2 cup baby carrots
2 stalks celery (rough chopped)
3/8 cup Parmesan cheese

In a large heavy saucepan heat the Chicken Broth, with the baby carrots and celery. Bring to a simmer and keep on the heat.

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the Pancetta and meat of your choice and saute until browned. Approx. 5 minutes.

To the skillet add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and saute until tender. Make sure you scrape the bottom for any browned bits. Approx 3 minutes.

Add the Arborio Rice and stir to coat the rice.

Add the white wine and simmer until the wine is almost evaporated, about 1 minute. In this recipe wine is necessary and cannot be substituted as the alcohol helps to create the starch for thickening this recipe.

Remove the celery and carrots from the chicken stock.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock to the rice in the skillet and simmer until almost absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Continue adding 1/2 cup at a time and simmering 2 minutes until all stock is used.

Remove from heat, stir in Parmesean cheese and Serve.