Tony Jackman’s biltong risotto, served on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics. (Photo: Tony Jackman)
Biltong, thinly shaved, is the core ingredient of this quick and easy weeknight risotto, other than arborio rice of course.
There are green beans in it too, and the spices include ground coriander, and crème fraîche brings it a delicious creamy finish.
A good risotto is dependent on plenty of liquid, so white wine and vegetable stock keep things simmering nicely while the grains soak it all up.
Don’t be tempted to overwork risotto; it needs a light hand and enough time and liquid for the rice to become tender.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
500 g arborio rice
200 ml white wine
1.5 litres vegetable stock
1.5 cups thinly sliced soft biltong
½ cup fresh coriander leaves and stems, chopped
1 cup green beans, blanched
250 g crème fraîche
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
Olive oil, as needed
Salt and white pepper
½ a cup grated Parmesan and more for serving
Method
Blanch the green beans in rapidly boiling water for two minutes, drain in a colander, and refresh under cold running water. Set aside. Have your wine and heated vegetable stock to hand, and a ladle.
Pour plenty of olive oil into a heavy, large pan, add the arborio rice (do not wash it first, it needs its starch) and then drizzle more olive oil over. No need to measure, it needs to soak up plenty of it. If you insist on a measurement, at least half a cup. Put the heat on low and stir it around with a wooden spoon so that every grain of rice is coated in oil.
Add the wine a little at a time and stir gently while it is absorbed by the rice. Add the stock a little at a time in the same way.
Chop half of the biltong into smaller pieces and stir in, season with the garlic powder and onion powder, salt and pepper, and stir in the chopped coriander. Add the green beans and the remaining biltong (intact) and stir in the crème fraîche until it is well incorporated. Simmer, stirring, for the cream to take on the aromatics.
Grate some Parmesan into it and serve with more grated on top and a few extra shavings of biltong. DM