The cold weather is coming, and we feel like comfort food.
Below, Steenberg executive chef Kerry Kilpin shares her hearty and ever-so-creamy autumn risotto recipe as the perfect taste partner for their Nebbiolo.
Originating in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, Nebbiolo is considered one of the great Italian grape varieties.
Made in different styles from the formidable full-bodied Barolo to the more elegant and less austere Barbaresco, all Nebbiolo wines share the common thread of natural tartness and grippy tannins.
Rooted in the heart of truffle and porcini country, it is fruit-forward yet earthy and fits as a glove with these flavourful culinary gems foraged on the forest floor during autumn.
Mushroom, pancetta, and truffle oil risotto
Ingredients
Serves: 2
1 onion, chopped
50g butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
150g pancetta, cubed
200g risotto rice
200ml dry white wine
250g assorted mushrooms, sliced
500ml vegetable or chicken stock
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
125g parmesan, grated
50g butter
20g parsley, chopped
10 – 15 ml truffle oil (or to your taste)
Method
Sweat your onions and garlic with the butter in a pot for about 2 minutes.
Add the cubed pancetta and cook for a minute. Add your rice, and cook for a further minute until the rice starts to go translucent on the outside. Add the sliced mushrooms.
Add the wine and allow the wine to cook off and the rice to absorb all the liquid.
Add enough stock to cover the rice. Cook on medium heat.
After a further 2 minutes, add rosemary and top up with stock.
Throughout the cooking process, you will add stock and stir from time to time.
You need to keep your risotto moist at all times.
If you run out of stock and your rice isn’t cooked, top up using water.
Once your rice is about two minutes off from being cooked, add the parmesan, butter, truffle oil, and parsley and allow it to melt and season to taste.
Serve with a glass of Steenberg Nebbiolo.
