Hey there food lovers!

So the last post was an Ingredient Focus on Guanciale, a type of bacon taken from the cheek of a pig. I promised a recipe to use it in, so here it is. I decided that a great way to showcase the texture and flavour of Guanciale would be in a nice risotto. Check it out.

Roasted Garlic Risotto with Guanciale and Soft Egg
serves 4

1 cup arborio rice
1 litre chicken stock approx. (can be substituted for any other type of stock)
50g shallots, fine dice
1 head of garlic
100ml white wine
100g Guanciale, skin removed and cut into matchsticks
50g unsalted butter
50g parmesan cheese or aged gouda (In the picture I used a 3 year aged Gouda. Money.)

Roast your garlic head (wrap in foil with some oil and salt and cook for about 30 minutes in a 350°F oven) and remove the garlic from it’s skin. Smash it into a paste. Fry Guanciale in a pan until crisp. In a large sauté pan, sweat the shallots gently for a few minutes in the fat rendered from the Guanciale. Add the rice to the pan and toast it for a few minutes over medium heat. Add your roasted garlic paste and fried Guanciale to the rice. Pour the white wine into the pan and stir until it is absorbed. Add your hot stock a ladle at a time and stir constantly to work the starches out of the rice. You’ll know it’s time to add more stock once about 80% of the liquid in the pan has been absorbed. Patience is the key to a beautiful risotto. Cook the rice until it is cooked but still has a slight bite to it. Once the rice is done, mix in the butter and grated cheese to add a richness to the dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To poach the egg, bring a pot of water with a couple tablespoons of white vinegar to a simmer. Create a whirlpool in the pot with a whisk and drop your egg into the middle from as low a height as possible. Cook for 3 minutes and refresh it in an ice bath to stop the cooking immediately if you aren’t going to eat it right away, otherwise just serve it straight out of the pot.

I hope you enjoy the recipe! Leave a comment and let me know how it works out!

Josiah