Smoky red wine risotto
This dish I invented for a friend who doesn’t see the world we do. Sigrun Pashke sees the world by smelling it, hearing it and feeling it. It was more than a year ago that she came for dinner on a rainy night and I wanted to make her something that will stimulate her senses.
Something sensuous. A bit exotic to keep her quick wit guessing. And hugely comforting like a hug, because this friend and I don’t see each other often.
Plus, have I ever told you, I love making risotto.
The recipe revolved around the vividly coloured berbere spice a foodie friend slipped me. She just returned from Turkey’s spice markets and gave me a few precious tablespoons from her little brown paper bag.
It gave me a thrill, but it’s by no means essential to include it. The smoked paprika gives the dish enough of a satisfying depth of smokiness. And in lieu of berbere, a dash of dried chilli flakes will impart a pleasant tickle, if that’s how you roll. Sumac can easily be replaced with a squeeze of lemon juice.
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Photography: Lee Malan.Styling & recipe: Aletta Lintvelt
Red wine risotto
For 4
Prep 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
GATHER
8 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup risotto rice
1 teaspoon sumac (or a squeeze of lemon juice)
1 teaspoon berbere (or dried chilli flakes)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cups red wine (I used a good merlot)
2 – 3 cups stock, boiling
a few handfuls baby spinach, roughly chopped
6 large brown mushrooms
100ml single cream
2 handfuls Parmesan cheese
Step 1 Place half the butter in a pan over moderate heat. Add the garlic and onion. Stir until soft and translucent. Add the spices.
Step 2 Add the rice. After 5 minutes add the wine. You can turn the heat up slightly to a gentle simmer.
Step 3 When the wine is absorbed by the rice – about 7 minutes – add a cup of stock. Don’t stir too much.
Step 4 Keep adding stock ½ cup at a time until absorbed and simmer the risotto until the rice is still firm but not chalky any more. Stir through the chopped spinach and take of the heat. This should take about 25 minutes.
Step 5 In a clean pan on a very high heat, brown the mushroom in the rest of the butter. They must squeak! About 8 minutes.
Step 6 Pour the mushrooms, browned butter and all over the risotto, drizzle with cream and serve at once. Serve with parmesan cheese and lots of red wine.
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