red wine risotto

Oh the red wine did floweth!

It might just be me, but I CAN'T stop eating right now. I especially can't stop drinking red wine.

My god I can't stop.

There was one tiny whiff of a cutting cold draft and the cork was already open.

It might be colder, but energy wise, that only amounts to an extra 200-300 calories needed a day, not the 750 like I'm putting away!

News flash, I'll be a stone heavier by Christmas and I'll be looking like the Steps reunion. Slightly distorted!

This is dangerous. Well...it's getting dangerous. Suddenly I'm finding reasons to get red wine into my meals. My flat mate is watching me sink into this caricature of myself as the evening rolls on. My jokes are getting sharper, I'm getting wittier by the second, my judgements are getting harsher and my waistline is getting fuller. Unfortunately the laughs are made by me, egged on by me and responded to by me!

Serving 4
1 bottle of red wine
100g unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
300g risotto rice
450ml chicken stock
110g Parmesan cheese freshly grated
sea salt, black pepper

Bring the wine to the boil in a small pan, then leave to simmer over a very low heat.

Melt half the butter, then add the onion to sweat for a few minutes until soft. Add the rice and stir for a minute until complete covered in all the gloss. Start to add the red wine one ladleful at a time, stirring well as you go. You want the rice to absorb all of the wine, not be drowned by it!

Bring the stock to the boil.

When all the wine has been absorbed, then add the stock one ladleful at a time. The risotto should take roughly 25-30 minutes to cook in total.

You want to stop cooking the rice when it has a bite to it and whilst there is still a moistness to the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan and the remaining butter and add seasoning as desired.

Serve straightaway and add extra grated Parmesan to taste.

If you haven't drunk half a bottle of red wine whilst cooking then I'll be very proud of you!