Champagne Risotto for Two
Please, whatever you do, don’t open a bottle of champagne specifically for this. I mean, not unless you want to, and drink the other half of the bottle as you eat, as a wallowing-in-luxury way to welcome in the New Year, in bed preferably. It’s a great way to use up any dregs from last night, though. And any fizzy white wine would do; indeed I most often make it with Prosecco which I love inordinately for its soft bubble and mood-enhancing Venetian zing.
NotesTo be honest, the wine you use doesn’t even have to be fizzy; but it does have to be good: not great, but happily drinkable; you really taste it here.
And in place of the leeks you could use four fat scallions.
Serves2
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 1 hour
One Pot MealYes
OccasionCooking for a date
Recipe Coursemain course
Mealdinner
Moodromantic
Taste and Texturebuttery, creamy, rich
Ingredients
- 1 small stick of celery, ¼ cup when chopped
- 2 leeks, 1 cup when white part is chopped
- ¾ stick unsalted butter
- 1½ cups champagne
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
- 1 1/3 cups carnaroli or arborio rice
- ¼ cup Parmesan, grated
- Ground white pepper
Instructions
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Chop the celery and the white part of the leeks very finely. Melt ½ stick of the butter with the oil in a wide saucepan and cook them gently until softened. In another saucepan, pour in 1 cup of the champagne and all of the chicken stock, and keep on a very low simmer nearby to your risotto.
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When the vegetables are soft, tip in the rice and turn in the oil until slicked and glossy. Turn up the heat, pour in the remaining ½ cup champagne and, stirring all the time, let it be bubblingly absorbed.
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Turn down the heat slightly but not too low, and keep adding ladles of champagney stock, letting one ladleful be absorbed before adding the next, stirring all the while.
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Once the rice is cooked – 18–20 minutes should do it – stop, even if you’ve got some stock left over. Equally, if the rice has absorbed all the stock and yet needs further cooking – both happen – add a little more, or if it’s just a very little more you think you need, boiling water will do.
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Off the heat, beat in the remaining butter and the Parmesan. Season with a good grinding of white pepper if possible to keep it looking pure and unspeckled.
2004 Nigella Lawson
