Risotto gorgonzola, pere, e noci

By the time you read this Christmas will be over, but know that my holiday travel plans have not gone as expected. My intended itinerary taking me from New York City to my brother and sister-in-law in Rockville and home to Rhode Island has screeched to a halt in Rockville thanks to a positive covid test. I’m camped out in my hotel room with a supply of mint tea and Ibuprofen, kicking myself for not being more careful while travelling. I suppose we’ve all let our guard down three years into the pandemic, but the timing — right around the holidays, when I’d had all sorts of plans! — feels pretty unlucky. This is my first ever bout with Covid (really!) and I can report that so far, its a lot of congestion accompanied by Netflix and napping. And deliveries from Crumbl Cookies — if you’re in the U.S, find the closest location to you and GO. Immediately. And get the Birthday Cake Cookie if its on the menu.

With December 25th behind us we can now focus squarely on New Year’s Eve, a holiday that deftly differentiates the Homebodies from the Go-Outters. To probably no one’s surprise, I fall in the former camp — decidedly more so since adopting a quirky spaniel-mix with a fear of fireworks — and spend NYE at home with her, a few friends, and dinner. To all my fellow Homebodies who will also ring in 2023 with a small group, a movie, and something special to eat — this recipe for risotto gorgonzola pere e noci is for you.

First things first: risotto has a a reputation as fussy, or challenging, and would like to dispel this myth as my last blogging-act of the year in 2022. Making a risotto is not difficult (so long as you know how to stir) and I find that cooking one is downright meditative, a dish that forces you to slow down, take a breather, and patiently mix as you add the broth a little at a time. Its a primo that challenges the instant-gratification we’ve come to expect nowadays — it’s not a 15-minute deal — but know that all the careful stirring and slow cooking causes the rice to release its starch and become extra creamy, making it well worth the wait.

So! Like pasta, risotto is a blank canvas, one where you can add whatever ingredients you’d like. Here I’ve opted for wintery pear & gorgonzola, a pairing that falls into the Odd Couple category along with maple & bacon, peanut butter & banana, and Pecorino & fave. The sharp, pungent Gorgonzola is expertly mellowed by the sweetness of the pears, and both ingredients melt gently into the rice, infusing it with their flavor. A heap of chopped walnuts adds a little crunch and nuttiness, and a bit of Parmesan — a must when making risotto — only improves matters, as extra cheese does. The addition of freshly ground black pepper cuts the richness of the risotto, and makes it sing. The resulting dish is both sweet and savory and spicy, creamy and crunchy, and, in keeping with my theme the past few weeks, manages to be both Cozy Fare and Dinner Party-appropriate — a double agent kind of recipe. At the risk of sounding repetitive: I adored this risotto (know that I don’t post recipes that don’t make me feel that way!) and recommend you make it for the people you love to ring in the New Year. I’m sure something this delicious must be a good omen or something.

A special thank you to my friend Luca, who first made me a risotto with pears, gorgonzola, and walnuts back in the day when I was a Roman newbie. I had never tried anything like it, and my 22 year old future-blogger self was wholly impressed and inspired (not to mention it was a nice break from all the carbonara, cacio e pepe, and amatriciana I’d been eating). All these years later, its still his cavallo di battaglia, or star dish, and he was happy to provide me with a step-by-step of how he makes his version via Whatsapp. Grazie Luca!

A couple of notes: Feel free to use red wine here instead of white wine — it pairs well with the Gorgonzola and will give the rice a pinkish hue. Arborio, carnaroli, or Nero Vialone rice can all be used in risotto. If you’re living in Italy you’ll find both Gorgonzola dolce and Gorgonzola piccante - I used dolce here, but feel free to switch up the flavors with piccante. If you have only a ripe, softer pear that you want to use instead (I have made this when I had one kicking around my fridge) simply stir it in along with the gorgonzola, walnuts, and Parmesan. I know everyone says that risotto must be eaten immediately, but I heat any leftovers up on the stove with a little broth to revive it with good results. A

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RISOTTO GORGONZOLA PERE E NOCI

Serves 6.

Ingredients:
Olive oil as needed
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
400 grams (about 2 cups) Nero Vialone rice (see notes)
1 cup (250 mL) white wine
1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken or vegetable broth
1 large Kaiser or any other harder sort of pear, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes (see notes)
14 grams (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
150 grams (5 ounces) Gorgonzola, cut into pieces
80 grams (2.5 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
50 grams (2 ounces) walnuts, toasted and roughly
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.) Heat a good amount of olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent. Add the rice to the onion mixture and stirring for 2-3 minutes, toasting the grains and coating them with the oil.

2.) Add the wine to the pan and stir until it has been absorbed. As the rice is absorbing the wine, place your stock in a medium pan on another burner on the stove and bring it to a simmer over low heat.

3.) When the wine is absorbed, begin to add the stock to the rice a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing it to be absorbed before adding the next. When the rice seems like it is just a ladle-ful or two away from being cooked, add the pear and stir well. Keep stirring and cooking the rice; when it is tender, but still with a bite, it is done. Note that you may not need all the broth - I usually end up using about 5 cups.

4.) Turn off the heat on the pan, and add the tablespoon of butter, the walnuts, the Gorgonzola and Parmesan. Cover the pan. Let it sit for 1 minute, then stir the risotto vigorously with a wooden spoon until its creamy and glossy. Season to taste with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Eat immediately with gusto.