Red chicory risotto

This creamy risotto has the special bitterness of the red chicory and the nice smoky smell of the scamorza cheese.

It takes nearly half an hour to make a good risotto, the time necessary to cook the rice. 

But I can also suggest a short-cut, purist would have to blame to me for that, but  in this case, 4+6 minutes in the pressure cooker instead of 25-30 minutes, give fantastic results, without affecting the original taste. 

In this case I took pictures of the recipe when I made a single portion, while I give the recipe for 4 people. Your quantities will be bigger.

Also, I will describe both versions, so you can try them both and decide which you like most! 

Risotto is a first course, not a side dish, so consider that you will have to increase a bit the quantities if it is your only dish.

Ingredients for 4

320 gr/ 0.71lb rice (carnaroli if possible) (or 400 gr/ 0.88lb)
butter
1 leek white part only finely chopped
1/2 glass white wine
1 red chicory
twice the weight of the rice of vegetable stock (SALTED)
250 gr/ 0.6 lb smoked scamorza (or any other smoked melting cheese)

How to:

Bring your vegetable stock to the boil and let it simmer on a low fire.

Wash your leek and slice it very thin.

Wash your red chicory as well as possible and cut it into thin slices.

Put 1 table spoon butter in a deep pan, use a good one with a thick bottom or your pression cooker, and let the butter melt over a medium heat.

Add the leek and let it cook for few minutes until soft.

Add the rice and stir well until it becomes translucent (2-3 minutes). Add the wine and let it evaporate quickly.

When dry, the first part of your risotto is over. You can do this part in advance if you like. Make sure that the wine evaporated completely.

Add the red chicory and stir again. Now. if you are cooking in the pressure cooker, double the weight of your rice and pour it all in the pan. It will cover the rice and the vegetables almost completely. Close the pan with its own lid.

Count 6 minutes from the first  whistle  and switch it off. Help the steam go out from the valve, mix well and add the cheese. Mix again, wait one minute and serve it.

If you are cooking it in the traditional way, add just a ladle of BOILING vegetable stock, let the rise absorb it stirring it well, before adding an other ladler of boiling stock.

Boiling stock will allow the rice to cook inside, it is very important that you keep it very hot. It will take about 17 minutes of adding and stirring. Taste it, when ready add the cheese, close with a lid for 1 minute and serve.