Chef Paul Shufelt: Chicken Risotto for 2 people

Ingredients:

•    2 boneless skin-on chicken breasts
•    2 TBSP cooking oil
•    2 TBSP raw butter
•    1 cup of mixed mushrooms
•    ½ cup of peas
•    ½ cup clarified butter
•    1 chunk of pecorino cheese
•    1 ½ cup of arborio rice
•    2 cloves of garlic
•    1 large shallot
•    4 thick-cut bacon slices
•    1/3 cup of white wine
•    1 litre of chicken stock
•    Salt 
•    Pepper
•    2 sprigs thyme
•    1 bay leaf
•    ½ cup pickled sour cherries or pickled blueberries

Instructions:

1.    On a clean cutting board, peel the shallots and garlic.
2.    Using a sharp knife, fine dice the shallots and garlic.
3.    Pick the thyme leaves off the stems.
4.    Finely chop the thyme.
5.    Clean the mixed mushrooms by removing any woody stems, and cutting them down to bite-sized pieces.
6.    On a clean cutting board, cut the bacon into julienne strips.

For the risotto:

1.    Place the chicken stock in a pot and bring to a simmer.
2.    Meanwhile, place the clarified butter in a small, heavy bottomed pan, on medium heat.
3.    Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté gently until translucent, about 1 minute.
4.    Add the arborio rice, and bay leave, and stir to coat the rice in the butter, let gently toast for about one minute.
5.    Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine, let reduce for about one minute, stirring regularly.
6.    Now, once the wine is almost gone, add the chicken stock, one ladle at a time, just to cover the rice.
7.    Let the rice cook, stirring it regularly, while the rice slowly absorbs the stock.
8.    As the rice thickens, to a porridge like texture, add a little more stock and continue to cook, stirring regularly.
9.    Repeat this process, adding less and less stock at a time as you get closer to it being cooked. You are looking for al dente, even slightly under, which will take about 10-12 minutes. You will have stock leftover, not to worry, this will be to complete the risotto.
10.    Once the risotto has reached the ideal doneness it’s important to remove it from the heat and cool it quickly, spreading it out evenly on a baking sheet.

At dinnertime:

1.    Preheat the convection oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, or standard oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.    Place a heavy bottom, oven-safe pan on medium high heat.
3.    Season the chicken breasts on all sides with salt and pepper.
4.    Once the pan is nice and warm add the cooking oil, and then gently place the chicken breast in the pan, skin side down.
5.    Roast the chicken breast to lightly brown the skin, about 2 minutes.
6.    Once the skin side has browned nicely, gently flip the breast over and sear another 2 minutes.
7.    Place the pan in the oven and roast until cooked through, reaching 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
8.    Remove from the heat and let rest.
9.    Meanwhile, it’s time to complete the risotto.
10.    Place a heavy bottomed pot on medium high heat.
11.    Once hot, add the chopped bacon and sauté until cooked through and slightly browned, but not crispy.
12.    Now add the mushrooms and sauté until slightly soft, about one minute.
13.    Now add the green peas and thyme, sauté another minute.
14.    It’s time to add the par-cooked risotto.
15.    Stir the risotto into the ingredients to combine.
16.    Add about one cup of stock to the pot and let the rice absorb it, as it heats the rice through.
17.    To finish the risotto, add the raw butter and shave a generous portion of the pecorino cheese into your pot, stirring to combine.
18.    To serve the dish, place the risotto in a bowl, slice the chicken breast and fan it over the risotto and then garnish with more pecorino if you wish, and add the pickled sour cherries or blueberries.