Ingredients (6 people):
- 500gr risotto rice (I prefer Carnaroli)
- ±100-150gr Gorgonzola piccante (the drier spicier one) + some slices for decoration
- ±100-150gr Gorgonzola dolce (the creamy one, to give a nice texture to the risotto)
- 2 pears (not too soft)
- 15-20 walnuts (decoration)
- 1,5l vegetable stock
- 1 onion/sjalot
- 50gr butter and olive oil
- 2 glasses of dry white wine
Preparation:
- Skin the pears and slice one of them into small cubes (brunoise) of 4/5mm
- Slice the other pear in nice thin parts, you will use them for decorating the plates
- Clean the walnuts and shortly fry them in a dry pan (to get that extra nutty flavour out), careful not to burn them.
- Prepare nice plates with the slices of pear as sunbeams around the plate, put some of the walnuts on the plate
- Crush the rest of the walnuts into smaller pieces (no powder)
- Now start preparing the risotto:
- warm the chopped onion/sjalot in the butter and some olive oil until it glazes
- add the rice and have it fry (on low/medium fire) for about 1-2 minutes
- add 1 glass of wine to the risotto (and take a nip from the 2nd glass yourself)
- when the wine has evaporated add some of the stock
- it will take 15-20 minutes to cook the rice, keep adding small portions of stock, let the rice absorb it and do not try to stir too much (you will ruin the delicate outside of the grains)
- stay close to the fire, nip from the 2nd glass and watch
- after 15 minutes you should start tasting the risotto and judge the structure and taste. careful not to add too much (salty) stock, better start adding water if the taste gets too salty.
- shortly before the risotto is ready you add the cubes (brunoise) pear to the risotto and the Gorgonzola piccante. carefully stir it until the Gorgonzola has meted into the risotto
- when the risotto is almost done lower the fire, add the Gorgonzola dolce, have it melt slowly into the risotto. Taste and maybe add some more spicy Gorgonzola if you like or the dolce if you are looking for more creaminess but not too strong blue cheese taste
- Now server the risotto on the plates and decorate it with a thin slice of Gorgonzola (picante or dolce, whatever you like) and sprinkle the crushed walnuts over it.
Feel free to add more cheese or pear, do whatever you like. The quantities are based on my experience and my taste, but you might prefer a stronger taste or a milder one...
BUON APPETITO!
