Bacon and Wild Mushroom Risotto with Baby Spinach

I've learned that risotto is only fun to make when you're not trying to break up arguments between your two small children at the same time. But it didn't make it taste any less yummy. And it didn't make us any less sad when we noticed that we had eaten the whole pot and had no leftovers. Oh well. We'll know to double the recipe next time.

I decided that the risotto would go quite well with a little bread and some olive oil in which to dip it. So I tried my hand at French bread. And it came out really well. I made a loaf, but I think I'll try a baguette the next time. There were no leftovers of the bread either... What can I say? We really like bread in this family.

Bacon and Wild Mushroom Risotto with Baby Spinach
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light



4 cups chicken stock
6 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces wild mushrooms (creminis, shiitakes, oysters, etc.), sliced
1 cup uncooked Carnaroli or Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
1/3 cup Madeira wine or dry sherry
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Asiago cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil); keep warm over low heat.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook 8 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon. 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. 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. 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. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with bacon.