Betta' with Chedda'

Recently, I've been medically unfortunate. Three weeks ago, I had a cold sore on my lip...That was a new and enchanting experience. Last week, I had an eye infection that made my left eye red, swollen and painful. This week, I wore some shoes that made my heel blister....then the blister broke. Now it's infected and seeping. Friends, there are some things feet shouldn't do. One is to be uncomfortable in Ugg style boots. The other is seep. My left foot happens to be doing both right now. I don't walk in shoes, I hobble like a lovable Hunchback.

So today, after I got back from a shoot for the documentary I'm co-producing, Fire Academy, after I took off my boot and looked at the ugliest blister I've ever seen on my foot, after a nap, I finally got down to business and made myself an awesome dinner. Broccoli and cheddar risotto.

I'm gonna show you how to make it, because risotto is wonderful, delicious and versatile. I know what you're thinking, if you've never made risotto before. You're thinking it's complex, scary, time consuming. I'm here to tell you, risotto is like a college party.

The first time you go to a college party you're nervous, and the first time I made risotto, I was worried too. If I learned anything from watching Gordon Ramsay go ballistic on Hell's Kitchen, it was that this stuff is precise science and it was direly easy to mess up.
The funny part is, this isn't true at all. Now I make risotto on the fly, with random ingredients. This particular one is like your childhood best friend, broccoli and cheddar rice all grown up.

Meet our cast of characters:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup white wine
1/4 of a large onion, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
Broccoli, as much as you want (chopped)
2 chicken bouillon cubes + 4 cups hot water (or 4 cups of a stock of your choice!)
1 cup arborio rice

A party usually starts off with a few good friends. Onions and olive oil have been tight for a long time. Let them hang out in the pan, stirring over medium heat. Cook them until they're translucent like this:
At the same time, elsewhere, people are getting ready for the party, pre-drinking, dressing up, the works. So heat up your bouillon or your broth in a separate sauce pan, keeping the heat on medium low.
Add the rice into the onions. Rice is the shy freshmen at the party who need a bit of heat to let loose. Stir them around to coat them with oil for about a minute. Then add a cup of white wine, room temperature. (Or microwave it a little if you're like me and you forgot to take it out ahead of time.) The addition of the alcohol not only adds flavour, but it REALLY makes it like a party.
I don't use the expensive stuff...anything under 10$ will do.

At this point, more people have arrived. They're starting to mix and mingle together. Add the broth, one cup at a time. Stir it up until it is absorbed into the rice, adding until you're on your last cup.
Note: Stirring IS necessary for a risotto, but you don't have to spend 30 minutes straight doing it! I prepped the broccoli and cheddar, AND did dishes while I was minding this baby!

Now it's time for the the wild cards. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to the party crashers. The people who show up at the party and make it a PARTY. The flavour. The BOOM!
Add the broccoli first, with the last cup of broth. It will need longer to cook, so give it a fighting chance to make itself at home with the other guests.

After this, add the cheese, stir in to melt. This is point in the party sometimes called kiss o'clock where everyone's hooking up. You can serve it immediately, but I like to let it cool and thicken a little. It's part exercise, part self control.
You know what I enjoyed with my awesome risotto dinner? Lavender Soda Pop. Damn straight.