Bacon and Mushroom Risotto with Baby Spinach

Ingredients
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Arborio rice
¹⁄₃ cup sherry
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups baby spinach
¹⁄₂ cup asiago cheese, grated
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Heat large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add bacon to pan and cook 8 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally.  Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon, leaving bacon fat in pot. 

2. Add shallots, oil, thyme and garlic.  Cook 6 minutes, or until shallots are tender, stirring occasionally.  Add mushrooms and continue cooking 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add rice and cook 1 minute, stirring until rice is coated. 

3. Stir in sherry and continue stirring until liquid is almost completely absorbed.  Working ¹⁄₂ to 1 cup at a time, stir in broth.  Stir occasionally, waiting for each addition to almost completely absorb before adding more broth.  This will take about 20 to 25 minutes total. 

4. Stir in spinach and remove from heat.  Stir in cheese, salt, pepper, and reserved bacon. 

Comments
This recipe is from the 2011 Cooking Light Annual.  Being a lover of risotto, bacon, spinach and mushrooms, I knew I had to give this recipe a try.  Sadly, we all thought the flavors were a bit off, I blame this on the use of sherry instead of the usual wine, or perhaps the asiago cheese instead of Parmesan. Next time I make this, I’ll probably use white wine and Parmesan cheese instead.  Regardless, this was a tasty risotto and every bit of the leftovers was happily eaten. 

Shown here with Herb Breaded Chicken.

Cooking Light 2011