Red Wine and Radicchio Risotto
Red wine and radicchio risotto is my idea of a wholesome, wintry, weeknight dinner. Using the beautiful Chalk Hill 2020 Alpha Crucis Blewitt Springs Syrah, it’s rich, cheesy, creamy (without using any cream) and has pops of texture from the radicchio and toasted hazelnuts. Basically: save this post, you need to make it. Naturally, it pairs perfectly with a glass of Syrah, which you can purchase via Chalk Hill’s website.
Ingredients
- 150g unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 leek, sliced in half lengthways then finely sliced
- ½ radicchio, sliced in half then finely sliced (we want it shredded but not really long pieces)
- 4 sprigs thyme, tied together with cooking twine
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 2 cups Chalk Hill 2020 Clarendon Syrah
- 1.5 - 2L chicken or vegetable stock
- 100g Parmesan, finely grated (plus more to serve)
- ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, halved (to serve)
Serves 4
Method
- Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a pot.
- Melt 100g of butter in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and leak and sweat over medium heat until translucent.
- Add rice, stirring for 2 minutes to toast the rice.
- Once the exterior of the rice has become translucent, add red wine and thyme and simmer until fully absorbed.
- Ladle by ladle, add hot stock. After your first ladle is added, set a 20 minute timer to add radicchio. Once each ladle of stock is absorbed by the rice, add another ladle. It will take around 18 minutes for the rice to fully cook.
- Continually taste the risotto from the 15 minute mark to test if the rice is al dente.
- Turn off heat and discard thyme.
- Stir through remaining 50g butter and Parmesan, taste and season.
- Serve with more Parmesan and freshly cracked pepper.