Pears are great this time of year and can be used in many dishes, including savory ones. We love to couple our sweetest pears with a salty, cheesy risotto. The saltiness of the Parmigiano Reggiano complements the sweetness of our Bosc, Comice, or Starkrimson pears.
Pairing sweet with salt is a real treat! Top your risotto with the roasted pears and serve alongside a grilled pork chop or Portobello mushroom for a beautiful dinner.
Directions for risotto:
- Warm your broth in a medium saucepan.
- While broth is warming, melt butter in a high-sided sauté pan. Once melted, add shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook until fragrant and beginning to soften,
- Add rice to melted butter and shallots. Stir rice around and ensure it is all covered with butter. Toast rice for about 2 minutes—you should be able to smell the rice but avoid browning it.
- Add a splash of wine to pan and stir rice thoroughly for about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the wine and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until wine has completely reduced and pan is almost dry, approximately 3 minutes.
- Start adding in the broth ½ cup at a time. Stir regularly. Wait until rice has soaked up almost all of the broth before adding more. Adding the broth in increments is crucial to the rice releasing its starch. Taste after approximately 12 minutes to see if it’s close to your desired texture. Rice should be al dente.
- If needed, add 1-2 more tablespoons of butter and the cheese. Feel free to add walnuts for texture. Serve immediately.