- 1 small stick of celery, ¼ cup when chopped
- 2 leeks, 1 cup when white part is chopped
- ¾ stick unsalted butter
- 1½ cups champagne
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
- 1 1/3 cups carnaroli or arborio rice
- ¼ cup Parmesan, grated
- Ground white pepper
- Chop the celery and the white part of the leeks very finely. Melt ½ stick of the butter with the oil in a wide saucepan and cook them gently until softened. In another saucepan, pour in 1 cup of the champagne and all of the chicken stock, and keep on a very low simmer nearby to your risotto.
- When the vegetables are soft, tip in the rice and turn in the oil until slicked and glossy. Turn up the heat, pour in the remaining ½ cup champagne and, stirring all the time, let it be bubblingly absorbed.
- Turn down the heat slightly but not too low, and keep adding ladles of champagney stock, letting one ladleful be absorbed before adding the next, stirring all the while.
- Once the rice is cooked – 18–20 minutes should do it – stop, even if you’ve got some stock left over. Equally, if the rice has absorbed all the stock and yet needs further cooking – both happen – add a little more, or if it’s just a very little more you think you need, boiling water will do.
- Off the heat, beat in the remaining butter and the Parmesan. Season with a good grinding of white pepper if possible to keep it looking pure and unspeckled.