Wait. What?
Baked Risotto?
Yep. In all its rich and creamy goodness; just with way less stirring.
In truth, I featured a version of this recipe with a cranberry white Cheddar earlier this year, and we quite liked it; but then, I got to thinking about this rather nice block of jalapeño Cheddar I had in the fridge, and I decided that I would have to try it.
INGREDIENTS
•1 tbsp butter
•1 tbsp olive oil
•1 cup diced sweet onion
•2 cloves garlic
•1-1/2 cup arborio rice
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•1/2 cup white wine
•1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt
•1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
•4 cups chicken stock
•1 cup jalapeño Cheddar cheese, shredded
•2 tbsp chopped chives
•1 tsp chopped parsley
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
Heat your oven to 400º and melt the butter with the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about ten minutes or so.
Stir in the rice and cook, still stirring, for one minute more.
Add the wine, Seasoned Salt, and Sherry Peppers Sauce, then simmer for three minutes, until the liquid has been reduced.
Stir in the chicken stock, then cover the pot and pop into the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, stir in the cheese. parsley, and chives, then cover the pot and put it back into the oven for 30 minutes more.
That’s it!
Risotto, with not much muss or fuss.
Note: the jalapeño Cheddar worked a treat here, and wait until you see what I did with the leftovers!