Autumn = Risotto

Here's a risotto recipe based on a Donna Hay classic - mine uses heaps more garlic and greens but less stock.

Autumn is bliss.

Sunny days, cool evenings, a chill in the air.

Good surf starts rolling in, the tomatoes are over and your beans and peas start climbing towards the heavens.

Time to check you have ordered firewood, give your woollen dressing-gown a nice wash in wool mix so it's ready for the first chilly morning and think about moving past steamed veggies and salads for dinner.

So here's a cracker recipe for risotto I made it for some friends last night.

It's great when you are busy talking non-stop; discussing books, chook raising, politics or where to go snowboarding / surfing / cycling, as you just combine the ingredients and put it in the oven.

I love using my gorgeous, reliable blue Le Cruset casserole dish as I can cook the bacon, garlic and mushrooms, add the rest of the ingredients, before placing it in the oven. Once its cooked, it can go on the table and everyone can help themselves.

(In this instance I used beef stock as I thought I might give the hens the leftovers and I obviously do not feed them anything containing poultry.)

Baked mushroom, bacon, kale and spinach risotto

1 Tblsp olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

400g button mushrooms, roughly chopped

4 rashers bacon, rind removed, roughly chopped

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

4 cups chicken stock

100g baby spinach leaves

20g finely chopped kale

1 cup (80g) finely grated Parmesan

20g butter

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F).
2. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan or casserole dish over medium heat.
3. Add bacon, cook until nearly brown
4. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for five minutes or until browned.
5. Place in a medium ovenproof dish with the rice and stock and stir to combine.
6. Put the lid on or cover tightly with aluminium foil and bake for 40 minutes or until most of the stock is absorbed and rice is aldente.
7. Stir through the spinach, kale, Parmesan, butter, salt and pepper.

Serves 4 (Leftovers freeze just fine, but it's unlikely you'll have any!)