Golden Saffron Risotto with Pork Medallions

Ingredients

For the steak & sandwich:

• 1 cup Arborio rice
  
• 4 cups chicken stock
  
• ¼ cup dry white wine
  
• 60g unsalted butter (for the risotto)
  
• 1 French shallot, finely chopped
  
• ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, plus extra to serve
  
• ¼ cup chicken stock
  
• 1 tsp saffron threads
  
• 2×200g pork loin medallions
  
• 2 tbs olive oil (for cooking the pork)
  
• 15g butter (for finishing the pork)
  
• ½ lemon (for finishing the pork)
  
• Salt and pepper

Method

Prepare the pork medallions to room temperature. Pat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.

Prepare the stock:

In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer. Keep warm over low heat.

Start the risotto:

Heat a non stick pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the finely chopped shallots and gently fry until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat every grain in butter. Toast for 2-3 minutes until the grains look slightly translucent around the edges.

Deglaze with wine:

Add the white wine, increase the heat slightly, and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Cook the risotto:

Reduce the heat to medium low. Add a ladle of hot stock to the rice. Let it simmer gently for 1 minute without stirring, then stir slowly, allowing the rice to absorb most of the stock before adding more. Continue adding stock one ladle at a time, simmer, then stir. Repeating until all the stock is used. This process takes about 20-25 minutes.

Infuse with saffron:

About 5 minutes before the risoot is done, dissolve the saffron threads in ¼ cup of hot stock. Stir this into the risotto.

Finish the risotto:

When the risotto is creamy and al dente, stir in the cheese, the remaining butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let it rest off the heat while you cook the pork.

Cook the pork:

Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, sear the pork medallions for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and just cooked through. In the final minute, add the 15g of butter to the pan and baste the pork by spooning the melted butter over the medallions. Remove from the pan and squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the pork while it rests for 3 minutes.

Serve:

Spoon the saffron risotto onto plates. Top with the pork medallions. Drizzle with any resting juices. Garnish with extra cheese.

Nutrition