Leek and Prosciutto Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Leeks are plentiful at the moment and I love cooking with them. Risotto is not hard to make it just requires 20 minutes of your undivided attention with continual stirring. You can always pour yourself a big glass of wine and chat to your guests as you make it ! There are a number of oven bake risottos and I haven't tried this one in the oven , purely because I prefer to cook them the old fashioned way !
Although, some steps for this are done in the oven making it a little simpler.
I think the secret to a good risotto is a good strong stock and it must be boiling hot when it hits the rice to keep the cooking going. If you don't make your own there are many great stocks available in store these days other than a stock cube. But by all means use this if you have too, but keep in mind they are quite salty. Try a Massell stock powder instead !
If you prefer pancetta to prosciutto that is fine too, as long as they are thin slices.
How much stock to use is approximate, you may end up using slightly less or more. It doesn't matter. The important thing is for the risotto to be creamy, not too dry or too runny. Do not drown the rice in stock it should only be just covered maybe 1/4 cup at a time , absorb and repeat until done approx 18-20 minutes. This recipe will serve four, it is easy to increase amounts !



300 grams Arborio rice
1 large leek finely sliced
6 slices thin prosciutto
1/2 punnet cherry or truss tomatoes ( if they are small use the lot )
2 large cloves crushed garlic
1 litre chicken stock
80 grams butter
3/4 cup  white wine
2 tablespoons fresh or dried tarragon if fresh unavailable
1 cup finely grated Parmesan



Preheat oven to 180C. Place prosciutto and tomatoes on a baking paper, lined tray in the oven for approx 10 mins.
Remove from the oven and break the prosciutto into smallish pieces and set aside.
Place stock in a saucepan alongside the pan you are going to cook the risotto in and bring to the boil.
In the pan  you are cooking the risotto, melt 60 grams of the butter and saute the leek and the garlic with the wine, until soft.
Place the rice into the pan and stir to thoroughly coat in the butter, leek mixture.
Begin ladling the hot stock, about 1/4 cup at a time, and wait until totally absorbed until the next ladle of stock is added, keep repeating and stirring the whole time.
About 5 minutes before finishing, add the tarragon, and stir through.
When the rice is done, turn off the heat and add the prosciutto, the remaining butter, a twist of black pepper and gently toss the tomatoes through trying to keep them whole. If some break up that's fine, but it is quite nice when you are eating to get a burst of tomato every now and again.
Just be careful with salt content, prosciutto and parmesan and stock are all salty !
Serve at once with extra parmesan.

Chicken and Leek Pie and Happy Mothers Day

I have just read an article in the paper by Richard Glover, about mothers and all the things we say to our children and I did have a chuckle. I am sure I've said everything he wrote including, ' Eat your greens they will make you big and strong " which really means, if you don't eat your greens you will eat biscuits and go totally hyper at about 8.25pm when I want to watch my show on TV. It did make me ponder the silly things I've said to my children over the years, in relation to food. ( and lots of other subjects )
At 25, 23 and 19 years old, my children like to remind me of these sayings and just quietly,I still say them !
"DON'T open those biscuits you will eat them ! ( looking at me askance, well isn't that why you bought them ? )  DON'T finish all the meat, your brother will want some when he gets home..... (well he isn't here now so too bad ! ) DON'T open that dip I am saving it in case the girls come over for a drink ( No one comes and the dip has to be thrown out 1 month later ) DON'T eat leftover pizza for breakfast it's not good for you ( why was it good for me last night, when you were going out and didn't want to cook ?) there are so many  more and we do have a laugh, I am sure you all have a lot more funny sayings ( would love to hear them ?? )

For all those gorgeous children,who may want to cook for their Mum for a change, this is an easy dish to prepare and she will be so impressed ! Happy Mothers Day to all X


6 chicken thigh fillets
1 large leek
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 bacon rashers
Butter
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4  - 1/2 cup cream
Fresh thyme, salt and pepper
Ready made puff pastry or homemade
Sesame seeds for decoration if desired
1 beaten egg for the wash

Preheat oven to 180 C
Wash  and chop the leek finely. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Chop the bacon coarsely.
In a fry pan, saute the bacon first, for a minute or two, stirring constantly, add the leeks and garlic and continue stirring for another minute. remove from the pan and set aside . Add the chicken pieces and cook until white and just cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside with the bacon and leeks, same dish is fine.
Add some butter, approx a tablespoon, allow to melt and stir in the flour and mix to a paste, add the stock and blend. Return chicken, bacon, leeks and garlic mix to the pan , add the cream and seasonings and simmer gently for a minute or two. You may add more stock at this point, if you feel the mixture is too dry, or alternatively, cook it for a little longer if you feel it is too wet. This will probably be different each time you cook it depending on the size of the thighs. Allow the mixture to cool completely before assembling the pie.
Arrange the defrosted pastry on the bottom of a greased pie dish or any oven proof dish and fill it with the chicken mixture. Top the mixture with a second sheet, making sure you seal the edges. Brush the top of the pie with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds,if using. Cook for 30-40 minutes until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with mash and vegetables or a salad !