Easy Oven Risotto

I feel like a bear. No, that's not a misspelling. I didn’t mean beer although I've never tried cooking while drinking. THAT could be interesting. I meant like a bear because I’ve been in hibernation all winter and haven’t added much to my cooking blog. Well, I am BACK and ready to add more recipes including a TIPS section as am I learning more about the process of cooking as I go along.

Some of the recipes I was going to add as winter dishes was my mom’s split pea and dumpling soup, KooKoo which is like polenta with split pea, her home made bread and fish broth. All of these are West Indian inspired as my parents are from Grenada W. I.

For today, I am sticking with the basics and since I have left over Chicken breasts, I am going to make this easy recipe for Risotto. I just love this moist, pasta like rice but it’s a pain to make with all the stirring that goes into it. I can make it easily in my pressure cooker but I'm not always around a pressure cooker. I was inspired by this oven baked recipe from Barefoot Contessa. It’s easy and it works! The risotto is al dente as it should be without all the stirring and fussing. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 ½ cup Arborio Rice

4 cups of Chicken Stock –preferably home made

½ white wine (sugg. Pinot Grigio)

3 TB butter diced up

1 cup Parmesan cheese-the key to Risotto

Green peas, artichoke, broccoli bits or spinach

2 Tsp salt

1 Tsp pepper

Pour the rice and just 3 cups of chicken stock into a dutch oven pot and place in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. When it is done, it’s should be al dente, add last cup of stock which is kept warm.

Next add the white wine, diced butter so it melts into the Risotto, Parmesan, salt and pepper and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Next you can add frozen peas or bits of cooked broccoli or spinach and stir.