Risotto with Champagne, pears and parmesan + Carte d’Or
Difficulty : 1/4
Preparation : 10 min
Baking : 20 min
- SERVES 5
- 260g risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
- 70g grated Parmesan cheese (ideally aged for 30 months)
- 1 1/2 large pears
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 45g butter + some for cooking
- 450ml Champagne Carte d'Or
-
3 ladles of boiling vegetable stock
Here's a superb recipe stolen from Italy to spice up your Christmas meal. The fact that pears go well with Parmesan cheese is nothing new. In Italy, it's a match made in heaven. But the special thing about this risotto is that it's cooked in champagne. This adds elegance, finesse and freshness. The melt-in-your-mouth pear balances the slightly acidic side of the Champagne.
Recipe inspired by Belly
List of ingredients
- Peel and finely dice the pears. Separate them in two: 1 pear for the beginning of the recipe and half a pear for the end, to be set aside. Finely chop the onion and sauté in a heavy-bottomed frying pan with the 45g butter. As soon as the mixture begins to brown, add the pear, then the rice. Stir until the rice is translucent.
- Add 2 ladles of Carte d'Or and let evaporate. Then add 2 ladles of hot stock. Add a little salt.
- Pour in the rest of the Champagne gradually, one ladle after the other as soon as the previous one has been absorbed (save a ladle of Champagne for the end of the recipe). Between the ladles of Champagne, slip in your last ladle of vegetable stock. Stir constantly and gently, with a wooden spoon, to prevent the rice from sticking.
- Meanwhile, fry the diced pear half in a separate pan with a knob of butter.
- When the rice is cooked, after about 20 minutes (it should be melting and creamy, but still slightly firm throughout), add the last ladleful of Champagne and turn off the heat.
- Add the grated Parmesan. Add salt and pepper (as the pear and Champagne will add a touch of sweetness, we've added salt twice, lightly at the beginning, and another pinch at the end to balance things out a little, so it's up to you). Serve in a large shallow dish and place the caramelized pears on top of the rice.
- Serve as an accompaniment to fine poultry, fish or a vegetarian menu.