Red Wine Risotto with Radicchio and an Alternative to Bacon

1. Peel the vegetables and wash the parsley. Then chop the veg into cubes or rings, and roughly chop the parsley.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan, and sweat the vegetables in it for around four minutes over a high heat.

3. Pour in 1.5 litres of water, and mix in the herbs and salt. Bring everything to the boil, cover and let simmer for around an hour.

4. Strain through a sieve, and set aside for later.

1. Sweat the shallots and the cubes of bacon alternative in olive oil in a saucepan. Add the rice, and sear while stirring until the grains are becoming translucent.

2. Cut the radicchio into fine strips, and add into the saucepan with two sprigs of rosemary (keep some for decoration). Pour in the red wine. The rice needs to absorb all the wine.

3. Now add the vegetable stock gradually, stir and let the liquid evaporate.

4. As soon as the rice is soft but the grains are still defined, take the saucepan off the hob. Stir in the alternative to mascarpone and most of the alternative to Parmesan. Cover, and leave to stand.

5. Scatter the remaining Parmesan alternative over the risotto. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and freshly ground pepper, and serve hot.