John Jugum
Chef
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup Arborio rice
- Rock melon 450g – 500g (crushed)
- one large white onion (diced)
- 1.5L of vegetable broth
- 30ml olive oil
- 150g prosciutto (double sliced)
- 100g chorizo – spicy (sliced)
- 50g Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 50g Brie cheese (cubed)
- cream 100ml
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- Chardonnay 100ml
- salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Cut 2 small melons into halves and remove seeds. Using a fruit baller make a few melon balls for decoration and leave them on the side. Scoop (gently and not too deep) the rest of the melon into a bowl and crush it with a fork. Leave the shell of the melon in original shape with some melon flesh in it and intact.
2. On a medium heated pan add olive oil and diced onion. Soften the onion and add rice, stirring for 4-5 minutes. Then deglaze it with Chardonnay. Stir it gently for another couple of minutes until alcohol evaporates.
3. Add mixed herbs and 300ml of vegetable broth and cook until absorbed, then add more broth, repeating the step until rice is cooked. Stir in crushed rock melon, followed by 100ml of cream and 50g of Brie cheese. Lower the heat to a minimum.
4. On a separate heated pan add sliced chorizo and fry for a couple of minutes until almost ready. Then add sliced prosciutto and fry until crispy. Stir the prosciutto and chorizo into melon risotto, leaving a little bit of prosciutto for garnish.
5. Turn off the heat and stir in 40g of the grated parmesan and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve your Rock Melon Risotto in its original shell. Garnish it with the remaining Parmesan, prosciutto, chorizo and melon balls.
Born in the bustling city of Auckland, New Zealand, John was raised amidst the vibrant flavours and aromas of Croatian cuisine. His father, a master of the kitchen, delighted in cooking for his family of six…
If you would like to learn more about John, see Expert: John Jugum.
