Bacon and Wild Mushroom Risotto with Baby Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice medium-grain uncooked
• 2 ounces asiago cheese fresh grated
• 4 cups baby spinach 
• 6 slices bacon chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 4 cups chicken stock see homemade
• 4 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 4  garlic cloves minced
• 0.3 cup madeira wine dry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra-virgin
• 4 ounces oyster mushrooms sliced
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup shallots chopped
• 4 ounces mushroom caps stemmed sliced

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• slotted spoon
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Bring Homemade Chicken Stock to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil); keep warm over low heat.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
3. Add bacon to pan; cook 8 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon.
5. Add shallots, oil, thyme, and garlic to drippings in pan; cook 6 minutes or until shallots are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in mushrooms; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in Madeira; cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup stock; cook 4 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
7. Add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute.
8. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, salt, and pepper.
9. Sprinkle with bacon.
10. Wine note: A light-bodied pinot noir can echo the smoky and earthy flavors of Bacon and Wild Mushroom Risotto with Baby Spinach, without overpowering the dish as a bigger red wine might. Redtree Pinot Noir 2008 ($8), from California, shows this grape's aromatic earthiness, along with snappy, tart berry fruit that provides a palate-cleansing contrast to the creamy texture of this dish. Jeffery Lindenmuth