Alice's Yorkshire Risotto

This was my entry into the York Young Chef's Competition that I recently took part in. It was my first cooking competition and I was very nervous! I didn't win but I did get complimentary comments for the judges, which is good as I was the only one of the contestants who wasn't a professional chef! The dish had to be sourced from Yorkshire and themed around Yorkshire produce so I used Yorkshire Beef, Yorkshire Blue Cheese, Masham Black Sheep Riggwelter Beer, Yorkshire Butter, Parsley grown by myself in Yorkshire and the Arborio rice itself was bought from a little shop in Masham!

Ingredients (serves 2):

300g Arborio Rice

3 Small Shallots, finely chopped

Handful of chopped Mushrooms

About 3/4 Litre Chicken Stock (see Alice's Basic's section)

2-3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

About 80g Yorkshire Blue Cheese, crumbled (from the Wensleydale Creamery if possible!)

1 Rump Steak

About 150g Wensleydale Butter

1 Bottle of Riggwelter Black Sheep Beer

Method:

1. In a bowl place the steak, sprinkle with a little salt and pour over most of the beer - saving enough for a splash in the risotto and a few swigs for the cook! Put to one side.
2. Begin to gently heat the stock in a saucepan as it needs to be hot as you add it to the risotto.
3. Sauté chopped shallots in a good nob of butter until softened, using a wok-style pan. Add chopped mushrooms and garlic for a further minute.
4. Add the rice to the pan and stir until it is coated. Add a splash of beer and reduce for a minute or two.
5. Begin ladelling the stock into the risotto, one ladel full at a time, making sure that each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next - stirring continuously.
6. When it is just about ready (the rice should be puffed up and still a little chewy to taste, al dente) prepare the steak by heating a griddle pan, removing the meat from the marinade and brushing with oil, salt and pepper. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side, wrap in foil and sit aside to rest.
7. Pour the marinade into the still hot stock pan (even if there is a little stock left) and whisk in a tea spoon or so of cornflour to thicken and create a jus/sauce for decoration.
8. Stir the blue cheese, parsley and more butter through the risotto.
9. To serve, pack risotto into small glass chefs bowls, turn out into or onto warmed bowls/plates. Slice steak and place over the top with a sprig of parsley. Do a fancy circle of jus around the edge of your serving dish. And there you go, my own version of Yorkshire in a dish!