Chipotle Bacon Risotto Dip

Dice the bacon into 1/4″ pieces and brown in a heavy pan over medium heat. The pan should be at least 4-5 quarts. Remove the bacon, leaving the fat behind. Add the diced onion. Sweat the onion for about 2 minutes, then turn the burner to high and add the rice. Add olive oil as needed to coat all the rice with oil.

The next step is what makes risotto the rich creamy dish it is. You want the rice to toast in the oil. The untoasted rice coated with oil will be slightly translucent/clear. As it toasts, the rice will turn opaque and slightly brownish. Stir constantly. The onions will just go along for the ride.

When most of the rice is toasted, add the garlic. Once the garlic has been incorporated, add about 3 cups of stock or enough the just cover all the rice. The pan will be very hot, so the stock will sizzle as it goes in. Don’t worry, pour quickly with confidence and you’ll be fine. Once the stock has been stirred in, drop the heat to medium low.

The exact amount of stock doesn’t matter. As the rice absorbs the stock, you’ll add more – 1 to 2 cups at a time. Stir constantly. This is a dish you can’t really walk away from for any more than a minute or two. Add the bacon, peppers and minced chipotles after the 2nd batch of stock has been added.

The risotto is finished when the center of the rice is soft. The outer layers of starch have dissolved into the stock and act as the thickener. Add the shredded cheese and stir to combine.

You can stop at this point and use this for enchilada filling, as a side dish, as a main course under a big spoonful of fresh pico de gallo, but I went for the warm dip.

To make the dip: Spread the risotto in a 1″ layer on a rimmed serving dish and sprinkle with cheese. Pop into a 325 degree oven for 25 minutes and serve.