A Rich Red Risotto

One things leads to another in the kitchen. Roast chicken Sunday = home made chicken stock = risotto Monday. It's the natural order!

I was thinking about mushroom risotto most of the day (in between jobs of course, not totally preoccupied). Mushrooms are the perfect early winter food. Dark, dense, meaty, rich and filling. But when the chief grocery shopper got home tonight, there were no mushrooms in the bag. There were no mushrooms in the shop. What to do? Let them eat steak!

A risotto to go with barbequed steak needs a bit more grunt than the usual white wine stock and delicate basil treatment. Think rich and red.

Tonight's veges and herbs: Leeks, sweet chilies, garlic, rosemary.

And the liquid: A robust chicken stock from last night's roast, red wine and a can of crushed tomatoes.

How to: Read the basic risotto method, make a batch, and watch your loved ones swoon.

The chief grocery shopper barbequed the steak... and this photo doesn't do it justice. It was perfectly cooked, juicy and pink. It's meals like this that make winter just another happy place to be.