Red Wine Risotto with Radicchio and Blue Cheese

Cut the radicchio in half, remove the core from each and slice. Melt the butter in a sauté pan, add the radicchio and cook for about 5 minutes, tossing until wilted. Stir through the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, season and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the red onion and bacon until the onion is tender. Stir in the rice and when it is coated with the oil and warmed through, turn up the heat and pour in the wine, stirring until it has been completely absorbed.

Begin adding the hot stock, a ladle at a time, and stir well between each addition. Allow the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next quantity. The risotto is cooked when the rice still has a slight nutty texture and a creamy consistency.

Remove from the heat and stir through the cooked radicchio, the crumbled blue cheese and a little coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley.

Taste for seasoning and spoon into warm serving bowls. Serve with a crisp green salad.