There are people who think one should not cook avocados.
There are people who think one should not put avocados in risotto.
I compromised with someone who thinks that way and added the avocado after the risotto was finished.
Strangely, it seemed to add liquid to the risotto.
Also, strangely, the liquid was absorbed by the time I was finished taking photos. I was too hungry to re-do them…..
As was someone….
Pork, Avocado, Red Pepper Risotto
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup (4.2oz, 125gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto – Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) dry, white wine
- 2 1/4 cups (18oz, 540ml) chicken stock
- 1 medium onion, chopped, divided
- 1 tbs butter
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
- 6oz (180gr) pork, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 avocado, cut into large chunks
- 2 tsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- In medium saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat.
- Add 1/2 onion and sauté until transparent
- Add rice and sauté stirring, for 2 – 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of stock, stir. (No need to stir constantly but do stir from time to time.)
- Start Condiment (see below)
- When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring.
- Before the last 1/3 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just ‘al dente’ – slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. If more stock is needed add it 2 tbs at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed. At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff – there will still be visible liquid and it will not hold its shape on a plate.
- Add the Parmesan, warm condimenti, stir well.
- Remove from heat, add the avocado and stir gently.
- Spoon into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately. It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be quite stiff.
- Condimenti:
- Heat olive oil in medium skillet. Add onion, red pepper and sauté 5 minutes.
- Add pork and sauté until done, 7 – 8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to keep warm until needed for risotto.
We had visitors tonight, just as the sun was setting.
There was a knock on our door, which in itself, is unusual on a cold winter’s evening.
It was our neighbor. He stopped to tell us we had horses in our garden.
And so we did….
Even after being around the British for more than twenty years it still takes me a minute to remember that when they say ‘garden’ it means all the property that we own.
I, of course, immediately looked at my potager and wondered where the horses were.
My potager, or vegetable garden, is what we Americans usually mean by ‘garden’.
The British call it a vegetable patch or allotment, depending on where it’s located.
I digress….
After ascertaining that there were no horses where I grow my veggies, I had a look around the house.
Yup, horses.
The neighbor went off to call their owner.
I went off to take photos of the horses.
They live up the lane from us and, apparently, decided that our field offered better nibbling than their field and meandered down for a visit.
They didn’t seem willing to go into the plowed field. They would walk up to the edge, look at if for a bit, then turn around and come back onto our grass.
Which was helpful as they were still there when their owner (and friends) arrived 30 minutes later to fetch them home.
I rather liked looking out at the horses.
Hmmmm……
Horses are lovely creatures. We had four, and a mule, when I was young. But they’re hard work as well through all the seasons. Though we have the property, I am not a cold weather person. This is why though I toy with the idea of chickens, I don’t have them either.
I’ll be making this one this week, sans bell peppers. It looks delicious!
No chickens, no horses…. at least the dogs can go to the kennel (and we have a very good kennel) I really don’t want the extra work, but it can be tempting in the spring lol
I had cooked avocado last night….timely blog !
I like cooked avocado – the hubs is just fussy about his avocados. He has one every day for lunch in season.