Pancetta and Pea Risotto

It’s still comfort food weather and there’s nothing like a bit of parmesan with your bacon, or pancetta.  If you don’t happen to have some homemade chicken stock in the freezer (which I don’t) I recommend Better Than Bouillon, either way warm about three cups in a small pot.  Add approximately a third of a pound of diced bacon or pancetta to a large sauté pan, brown, pour off half of the accumulated fat, then add a minced shallot and a couple of cloves of garlic.  After a minute stir in a cup of risotto and toss to coat.  This would be the time to add a cup of white wine if you happen to have one open but it’s not necessary, but if you do continue to cook on medium low heat until most of the wine has been absorbed.  Add a half cup of stock to the rice, stir, wait until it’s nearly absorbed, then repeat. After forty minutes or so the rice should be firm but not crunchy, stir in a cup of defrosted sweet peas…and lots of grated parmesan.