The rice, the bitch and the cupboard

Hallooooooo.
I was having a ready steady cook moment the other night when I got home from work.
ie: I was pure skint and had no pennies for food so I had to delve into the deepest depths of my cupboard and pull out some stuff for tea. It's scary in there. I was in knee deep, riffling through random ingredients. I peered a little closer and I swear I could see a strange winter land out at the back of the cupboard. I squeezed through. Saw a giant lion and some annoying kids. My attempts to lasso the lion and steal him for tea were inhibited by some small girl trying to shoot me in the bum with a bow and arrow. Has she not heard of guns?
Well, I was cold, bloodied and still very hungry so I crawled back through my cupboard and had another look.
Hmmmmmmmmm. Sushi nori sheets stuffed with super noodles and tomato sauce? Kimchi dumplings with breadcrumbs and curry sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmm. No, I'm making myself feel sick just writing this.
Oh, look! I have some risotto rice. I think I have some peas and a bit of pancetta too. Hallelujah! I shall make a risotto. I like risotto.
If you want to make this vegetarian/vegan then just leave out the pancetta and use vegetable stock.
Now, I'm away to have another stab at that lion.

Risotto with peas and pancetta

serves 2

small onion diced fine
2 cloves garlic sliced fine
200g risotto rice
70g pancetta or bacon cubes
big hand full cherry tomatoes halved
800ml - 1litre hot chicken stock ( can be made with I stock or jelly cube mixed with boiling water from the kettle)
pinch salt and pepper
glug white wine (optional)
splash olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a pan on a medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes without colouring until softened.
Add the pancetta and cook till slightly browned.
Add the rice and cook for a few minutes until rice looks slightly opaque.
Add the white wine, stir and cook for a minute or two until wine has nearly evaporated.
Add  a ladle  full of the stock, stir, turn down to a simmer and leave to cook without stirring until stock is absorbed but make sure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Repeat with more ladle fulls of stock, tasting the rice between each addition to see if it's ready. It should take about 15 minutes and rice should be creamy but still with a bite. When you add your last ladle full of stock, stick in the peas, tomatoes, salt and pepper and heat through.
Done. Easy peasy.

You want the risotto to still be a wee bit runny.

My great presentation skills.