[london.food] Pork and herb risotto

[David Cantrell <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This recipe cooks enough for four people, or two greedy bastards.  It is 
also nice served cold in pitta bread for breakfast the next day.  As always 
in my cooking, the amounts of the various ingredients are vague - I don't 
measure much, I just chuck stuff in until it looks about right.  When I 
made this last night, I used some cause from a jar because I'd forgotten to 
buy tomatoes.  I consequently also left out the basil and half the garlic:

Ingredients:

1 mug full of basmati rice.  Yes, basmati rice.  I can't be bothered with
  having thirty different types of rice and anyway, I like the texture.
some sesame oil
one large onion, chopped
4 LARGE cloves garlic, chopped, not crushed
2 pork chops, diced
one can of chopped tomatoes
three peppers.  I use half each of one red, one green and one yellow, to
  make it look more interesting
some mushrooms, sliced.  You can never have too many mushrooms.
handful of sultanas, for sweetness
a goodly amount of tarragon, oregano, basil and coriander leaf.  Dried
  herbs are fine provided they haven't been sitting in the cupboard for
  too long.
coarsely ground black pepper
salt
ginger, turmeric, and chili powder!
pine nuts
whole blanched almonds
cashew nuts
half the juice of one lemon
wine

The apparatus:

A large frying pan.  Nothing else.  If it has nice high sides all the 
better, so you can stir things more easily.  I cheat and use a wok.

The method:

Pour yourself a glass of wine, and salute the ingredients.  Heat the oil in 
the pan, until it is hot enough to begin to glow^Wsmoke.  Add the rice and 
onion, and lightly fry for a couple of minutes.  Add the garlic, pork, 
herbs, salt, chili, half the mushrooms, and enough water to cover the pork. 
Bring to boil and simmer.  Drink some wine.  Chop the veggies.  When about 
half the water is gone (which shouldn't take long), add the remaining 
spices, tomatoes, sultanas, nuts, and lemon juice.  Stir to make sure 
nothing's sticking.  Drink some more wine.  When the liquid has again 
reduced some more, add the veggies.  Continue to simmer for long enough to 
do the veggies properly, but without making them soggy and crap.  Serve.

-- 
David Cantrell