Grana Padano risotto, spice poached pears, crispy bacon

Stock.
Wash the carrot and the celery then peel them and the onion. Cut everything into chunks and place in a deep stockpot. Add in the smoked bacon rind and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and then simmer for about 45 minutes. Pass the stock through a sieve. It should make around 1 l / 2 pints of vegetable stock.

Spiced pears.
While the stock is cooking, peel the pears and the quince, dice into 1cm cubes. In a pan, melt the butter with the sugar and the spices, and cook until golden. Add in the fruit and stir for about 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce. Leave to cool down at room temperature. Remove the spices.

Separately, blanch the green beans in salted boiling water and cool in iced water. Then cut into 1cm length pieces and mix with the pears.

Risotto.
In a sauté pan, sweat the shallot with the olive oil, add in the rice and two pinches of salt. Fry for about a minute and a half, then add in the wine and reduce completely, whilst stirring. Start adding the stock enough to cover the rice. Keep adding more stock, a ladle at a time, every time it is almost completely absorbed.

Meanwhile, place the bacon in a shallow tray and cook under the grill of the oven until crispy. Transfer onto kitchen paper to absorb the fat in excess and allow to cool down.

Once the risotto is cooked, remove from the stove, being careful it is not too dry. Fold in the butter and grated Grana Padano and mix well until creamy. Season with salt if necessary.

Transfer to serving dishes, decorate each plate of risotto with the crispy bacon and the pear and bean mix.