This is a real Christmas treat! Chestnuts are fantastic this time of year and this is a really easy and tasty way to use them. If you cut them in half in the middle and boil them in water for about 15minutes they are easy to scoop out of the shell with a teaspoon. As they are crumbled you don't have to worry about keeping them whole. You don't have to add the proscuitto di Parma but it will give it a much fuller flavour.
Have a great week!
Ingredients
Serves four starter portions
150g Carnaroli Rice
4 slices of Proscuitto di Parma (cut into small slices)
75g of peeled and crumbled fresh chestnuts
50 ml of white wine
2 tblsp of finely chopped onion
2 tbsp of finely chopped Celery
1 tsp of chopped fresh rosemary
1 small head of radicchio (finely chopped)
50g unsalted butter
1 liter of chicken or vegetable stock
2 tblsp of olive oil
Method
In a straight sided sauce pan heat up the olive oil and fry the onion rosemary and celery for two minutes add the rice and carry on cooking for three-four minutes stirring the rice frequently.
Add the white wine and cook on a high heat and start adding the stock. Stir at all times otherwise the rice will cook unevenly.
When you have used two thirds of the stock and your rice has plumped up but is still not cooked all the way, add the proscuitto di Parma, fresh chesnuts and radicchio. Cook until the radicchio has wilted.
Add the butter and Parmesan and enough stock so the risotto is wet. At this point stir well so the risotto is emoulsified and appears to have waves when you shake the pan.
Check the seasoning and serve immediately. Try this with a glass of Valpolicella Superiore.