Spiced pork and cannellini bean risotto

A good risotto is an absolutely heavenly dish, made with love it can transport you all the way back to Italy. It can be passionate, authentic, it comes with some many flavour combinations but most of all its romantic! Share this recipe, love it, enjoy it! This would work with the O'leary Walker Pinot Noir or even a heavier white wine like Chardonnay or Viogner really well.

Ingredients - Serve 6 - 10mins prep - 25mins cook time

2¼ pts chicken stock
1good slurp sunflower oil
50g unsalted butter (Butter makes it Better)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
150g smoked sausage or chorizo, finely sliced
150g of smoked back bacon, diced
500g Arborio rice
185ml dry white wine
75g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 x 400g can of mixed beans, drained and rinsed
Sliced Savoy cabbage leaves
150g of pork loin steaks
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, plus extra for decoration

Method

1. Place the chicken stock in a saucepan and place over a low heat, close to where the risotto will be cooked.
2. Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the onion, garlic, smoked sausage and bacon. Cook over a moderate heat, stirring occasionally with love until the onion becomes translucent, then add the rice. Continue to stir until the grains of rice have absorbed the seasoning.
3. Add the wine and cook the rice, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon and removing any rice that sticks to the sides and bottom of the pan, until all of the liquid has evaporated.
4. When there is no more liquid in the pan, add a ladleful of stock, stirring all the time as described above. Keep adding the stock in batches, stirring continuously between each addition.
5. After cooking the rice for 15 mins, add the beans and chilli. Keep stirring and adding more stock, as the liquid becomes absorbed.
6. Meanwhile, season the pork steaks with salt and black pepper. Place under a preheated hot grill and cook for 10-12 mins, turning once. Keep warm.
7. Start trying the rice after cooking for around 20 mins. It will be ready when it feels soft but firm in the centre. As this point approaches, begin reducing the quantity of liquid you add to the rice, so that when the rice is ready it remains slightly moist.
8. Remove from the heat, tear up the cabbage and add it to the risotto with the rest of the butter and the grated Parmesan. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Slice the pork steaks and place on top of the risotto and decorate with the extra chili. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese. Bon appetito!