Parmesan Risotto with a Balsamic Reduction

I was just writing up the recipe for the mushroom risotto and began craving risotto for dinner. I had no mushrooms left so I decided to make parmesan risotto with a balsamic reduction. All the ingredients in this recipe are common ingredients you will find in the kitchen so it's a good dish to make when there's nothing in the pantry.


Parmesan Risotto with Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients
- 1 onion, thinly diced
- 2tsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cups arborio rice
- 1/4 cups white wine
- 500ml chicken stock
- 1.5/4 cups parmesan
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Pour stock in a saucepan, bring it to the boil and then keep it on a very low heat to ensure it stays hot.

2. Heat 1tsp of butter and olive oil and add the onions. Fry until they are slightly golden. Add rice and stir for 2 minutes.

3. Add white wine. Stir continuously but gently until all the liquid has evaporated.

4. Add one ladle of the stock to the saucepan and stir continuously until all the liquid evaporates then add another ladle of stock.

5. Repeat step 4 for 20-35 minutes. Taste the rice to test if it is al dente. If the stock runs out, use hot water.

6. Once the rice is al dente add the parmesan, 1tsp butter, salt and pepper and then take it off the heat. Let the rice stand for 3-4 minutes before serving.

7. To make the balsamic reduction, pour the balsamic vinegar into a pan and put on medium-low heat and keep swirling the pan so that the vinegar doesn't burn. COntinue doing so until the vinegar begins to become slightly thicker and has large bubbles. Note that the vinegar will thicken once it cools down slightly.

8. Serve the risotto with the balsamic reduction drizzled over it.