Artichoke and bacon risotto is a first course that captivates with its creaminess and intense artichoke flavor. In this recipe, an extra burst of flavor is given by the addition of smoked bacon.
The preparation of this risotto requires several steps, but it is still a dish that does not present particular difficulties in its execution and I recommend you try it.
If desired, the bacon can be omitted, but if you have the time, it is really worth following the recipe faithfully because the smoked bacon really adds an extra touch.
The only precaution you need to take is to choose tender artichokes, otherwise, when creating the artichoke cream, you may find unpleasant fibers inside it.
If this happens, do not despair, especially if you have guests; just pass the cream through a food mill or sieve the already blended cream so that the fibers are retained by the metal mesh.
For the choice of rice, I always go for risotto rice that remains well al dente, yet the toasting done in the recipe will greatly help in keeping the grains firm.
That said, I wish you good appetite, certain that you will appreciate this risotto!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 710.03 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 103.65 (g) of which sugars 4.57 (g)
- Proteins 25.69 (g)
- Fat 23.74 (g) of which saturated 6.82 (g)of which unsaturated 6.15 (g)
- Fibers 18.41 (g)
- Sodium 1,608.88 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 6 artichokes (medium)
- 1 qt vegetable broth (made with 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 1 celery stalk)
- 320 g rice (for risottos)
- 2 cloves garlic (medium)
- 20 g parsley (fresh)
- 75 g smoked bacon
- lemon juice (from half a lemon)
- 50 g grated Parmesan
- 1 small glass white wine
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper (ground)
Tools
- 2 Pans non-stick
- 1 Pot
- 1 Immersion Blender
Steps
To prepare the artichoke and smoked bacon risotto, start by making the vegetable broth, putting onion, carrot, and celery pieces in a pot with about 1 and a half quarts of cold water.
Keep on low heat for at least half an hour from boiling.
Clean the artichokes from the harder outer leaves and remove the tougher part of the stem.
Peel the remaining stem.
Once you reach the tender inner leaves, cut them all together to just under half and then divide the artichokes into four wedges.
Remove the inner choke and the purple part of the inner leaves.
Drop the stems and wedges into water with added lemon juice.
Chop 1 garlic clove and 20 g of fresh parsley into small pieces and place them in a pot with a drizzle of oil.
Add the artichokes, which you will have sliced, and their stems cut into thin slices.
Sauté, adding salt and pepper, and cook for about 20 minutes adding a little filtered broth, covering with a lid.
After this time, remove most of the artichokes from the pan, leaving only a few slices to decorate the finished plates.
In the pan, add more oil and sauté the artichokes until golden brown.
Make the artichoke cream by blending all the removed artichokes. If the artichokes are a bit tough and the resulting cream has fibers, you can pass the cream through a food mill or a sieve to remove them.
In a non-stick pan, brown the smoked bacon until cooked without adding any other fats. It will take a few minutes.
Now focus on the rice by placing a few tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and 1 chopped (or crushed, if you want to remove it later) garlic clove.
Once hot, add the rice and toast it for a few minutes, stirring.
Deglaze with white wine and let it evaporate.
Pour broth to cover the rice and once boiling, add salt.
Halfway through cooking, add the artichoke cream. When the rice is al dente, turn off the heat.
Add half of the bacon, a tablespoon of oil, three tablespoons of grated Parmesan (or Grana) and mix well.
The artichoke and smoked bacon risotto is ready.
Serve the rice, decorating the plate with the remaining bacon, fried artichoke slices, and chopped fresh parsley.
Storage
The ready rice keeps well sealed for one day in the fridge. The artichoke cream keeps for two or three days in the fridge, well sealed in an airtight jar.
The ready rice keeps well sealed for one day in the fridge. The artichoke cream keeps for two or three days in the fridge, well sealed in an airtight jar.
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