Gino's four-cheese risotto
He's swapping his traditional sunny Italian Escape for something a little chillier - Gino D'Acampo is in the ski resort of Courmayeur to cook up a local dish, perfect for après-ski.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped6 tbsp olive oil400g Arborio or Carnaroli rice150ml white wine1.3 litres hot vegetable stock, made with stock cubes100g salted butter4 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives30g Gorgonzola, cut into small cubes30g Fontina, cut into small cubes30g Provolone piccante, cut into small cubes50g Pecorino cheese, freshly grated(In Courmayeur Gino used a selection of local cheeses: Bleu D'Aoste, Tomme de Gressoney, Mont D'Or and Fontina)SaltWhite Pepper
You'll need
Large saucepan
Method
In a large heavy-based saucepan, fry the onion on the oil for 3 minutes until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Add in the rice and fry for 3 minutes on a medium heat to allow the rice to toast in the hot oil. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. Pour the wine over the rice and continue to cook for a further minute to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
Add a couple of ladles of stock and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook and stir until all the stock is absorbed. At this point please stay with the saucepan because you need to keep stirring with a wooden spoon. Pour in the rest of the stock, a little at a time, cooking until each addition is absorbed. It is ready when all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked but still has a slight bite. This will take 15 – 17 minutes (you may need all the stock).
Once the rice is cooked, take the pan off the heat and add in the butter, the chives and all the cheese. At this point, stir everything together for 30 seconds to allow the risotto become creamy. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.