Risotto with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta

Alright, I'm not gonna lie. This was really, really good. It's just the usual risotto recipe, this time with - you guessed it - broccoli rabe and pancetta. I buy two huge bunches of rabe each week these days, because Joef loves it so much, and this was a great and different way to get our bi-weekly fix. The risotto actually sweetened the rabe up a little (while preserving its characteristic bitterness), and the pancetta...well, what more can you say about that?

I also should note that Joef added habanero flakes to his - and that was really tasty, too!

1-2 tbsp olive oil, plus 3 tbsp olive oil
2 or so handfuls broccoli rabe
1 slice pancetta, diced
1 small/medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups chicken broth, simmering, with a few tablespoons reserved
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine the 1-2 tbsp olive oil with the rabe and pancetta in a large, deep saute pan. Cook over medium-high, adding a 1/2 ladle of chicken broth, until rabe has wilted. Remove rabe and pancetta and set aside.

In the same pan, combine the olive oil and onions in a large, deep saute pan, and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and stir one more minute.

Add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated. Then add the wine and stir over medium heat until the wine absorbs into the rice. Then, add a ladle of the simmering chicken broth and stir it in until the broth is absorbed into the rice. Keep doing this until the rice is al dente and until right before your last ladle of broth. (If you run out of broth before the rice is cooked, you can use a ladle or two of simmering water.) Add the reserved rabe and pancetta to the risotto, stir, then add your last ladle of broth or water and let it absorb.

Add your cheese and the reserved broth and stir it into the rice. Reduce the heat to low (or turn it off entirely), cover, and let sit for three minutes. Done!