Abalone risotto

This is a dish of texture and flavour. The crispy pancetta works well with creaminess of the risotto, topped off with succulent velvet texture of our abalone. Whether you are an accomplished cook or you just stick to the basics, this is a dish worth adding to your repertoire

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS:

• 50g Ocean Road Prime abalone
• 2-3 cup vegetable stock
• ½ cup Arborio rice
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ onion (diced)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (roughly chopped)
• Zest of ¼ lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 3 rashers / rounds of pancetta (thin sliced)
• 4 tbsp. butter

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

METHOD:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of butter and olive oil. Add onion and cook until browned.
2. Add rice and garlic and cook until all rice is coated in oil and butter.
3. Add wine and cook until absorbed into rice.
4. Begin to add preheated stock. Adding ¼ cup at a time (adding next ¼ cup once prior is absorbed).
5. Cook until rice is tender. If required water can be added to ensure rice gets to cooked texture.
6. Once rice is cooked add lemon juice, lemon zest and basil leaves.
7. As risotto is nearing the end stage of cooking, melt 3 tbsp. of butter in a separate pan.
8. Melt butter until it begins to brown then add pancetta and cook until crisp
9. Add sliced precooked abalone at last minute to warm through, ensure abalone is hot.
10. To serve top bed of risotto with abalone meat and pancetta.
11. Lastly pour over around 2 tbsp. of remaining melted butter and garnish with extra basil leaves.