Gruyere Cheese Risotto

This sounds like overkill, and I will admit that it is rather rich, but that makes this perfect comfort food, think of it as the more elegant cousin of mac & cheese.

There is a misconception that making risotto is challenging, that it requires skill or talent, this couldn't be any further from the truth, what it does take is time. Yes, it does require almost constant stirring, but very little concentration, and I find there to be something quite soothing and therapeutic about the constant stirring, it can be immensely relaxing after a long day.

Melt a large knob of butter, with a little vegetable oil to stop it burning, in a large frying pan, and cook some spring onions until soft and translucent. Add the arborio rice to the pan and keep stirring for around a minute. Add some wine and a teaspoonful of mustard, and let the wine cook down until it has been absorbed by the rice

Make up the vegetable or chicken stock, and turn up the heat under the rice. Add the stock to the frying pan, and stir the rice until the liquid is absorbed. You can either make up the stock in a saucepan and add it with a ladle, or you can make the stock in a jug, and pour it in. I prefer the latter, but both methods are perfectly acceptable.

Keep stirring in the stock until it has all been absorbed and the rice is tender, this should take about 20 minutes. When the rice is cooked through remove it from the heat, and add the cheese, folding it into the rice until all the cheese has melted.

Serve on warmed plates or bowls, sprinkled with a little chopped chive if wished.

ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 finely sliced spring onions
300g arborio rice
125ml white wine
1/2 teaspoon french mustard
1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock
125g chopped gruyere cheese
chopped fresh chives (optional)