Risotto With Pesto and Mascarpone

This is an easy risotto recipe that goes well with steak or chicken. To add a little more flavour you could saute some finely chopped onions at the start. Try to find a good quality mascarpone as you'll get a much richer flavour. This recipe serves 4 as a side dish- if you are serving it as a main meal this recipe serves 2-3.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1⁄2 cups  arborio risotto rice
• 4 1⁄4 cups  chicken stock
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1⁄2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 4  tablespoons pesto sauce
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan.
2. Add the garlic and cook lightly for about a minute.
3. Over a low heat, add the rice and saute for a couple of minutes, stirring to make sure the rice is coated in butter.
4. Add the white wine and let it absorb.
5. While the rice is absorbing the wine, heat your chicken stock (this can be done at an earlier stage and kept warm if you prefer). Add the chicken stock 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring occasionally. Each time, make sure the stock is mostly absorbed before you add more or it will be a very runny risotto! The non-stick pan is important for this stage, so the rice doesn't stick when the stock is low.
6. When the stock is all absorbed, taste the risotto to make sure the rice is tender (if not, add another 1/4 cup of stock).
7. Then stir in the mascarpone and pesto. Stir until completely mixed in.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.