Beer and Cheddar Risotto

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I have to admit that I've had the recipe bookmarked for ages now. I knew it would be something my husband would really like but I wasn't too sure about it. I really, really dislike beer, and this called for a whole bottle so I was honestly avoiding making it. But when I couldn't think of another side to make for my Cornish Game Hens, I decided to give this a whirl.

I was honestly very, very pleasantly surprised how this came out. The beer added flavor without being overwhelming. The cheddar made it wonderfully cheesy with a fantastic bite (I used very sharp cheddar!). This was probably the most flavorful risotto I've made to date, and all of the flavors, textures, etc. worked perfectly together. This was a fabulous recipe that I will most certainly be making again!

Ingredients
Adapted From Cooking This and That
Originally from FayeD on the What's Cooking board on the Nest

1/2 small onion, diced (I used 1 onion)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
2+ tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice
12 oz. bottle of beer (preferably not light beer) (I used Michelob Ultra which is light and it was totally fine!)
49.5 ounce can of chicken broth
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted)

Directions

Pour chicken broth into medium saucepan. Keep warm over low heat.

Heat large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat just until butter is melted. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Turn heat to medium-high and add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant.

Add rice and saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until opaque, adding more olive oil as necessary to coat the rice.

Pour in beer, turn heat up to high until it starts to simmer.

Turn heat back to medium-low and add the chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until liquid dissolves. You may not need to use all of the chicken broth - risotto should be creamy and just slightly al dente. This should take 30 minutes or more.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses and cayenne pepper.