members recipes

Risotto is my all time favorite. If I had to pick a dish providing the best stress relieving cooking experience, risotto would probably lead the list. This time I tried the combination of gorgonzola with spinach and pine nuts and it played out very well.

Ingredients
serves 4

1 medium size shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 head of celery, finely chopped
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
200 g risotto rice
150 ml dry white wine
600 ml vegetable stock or water
100 g spinach leaves (optional) roughly chopped
150 g gorgonzola cheese, cubed
50 g grated parmesan cheese
salt
freshly ground black pepper
small handful of pine nuts

Method
Heat the stock (or water) and keep in hot. I find it most convenient to set a pan with the stock over very low heat right next to the pay, where I cook the risotto. So it is easy to ladle the stock in gradually later.

Heat 1 tbs butter and 2 tbs olive oil in a medium heavy base pan. Set the pan over low heat. Add the shallot, garlic and celery and cook stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. The vegetables should soften, but shouldn\'t brown.

Increase the heat to medium. Add the rice and cook stirring for 1-2 minutes till it gets slightly transluscent. Pour in the wine and cook till most of the liquid evaporates.

Add the first laddle of stock. Cook stirring constantly till it evaporates. Then add the next laddle and cook stirring till it evaporates again. Repeat till the rice gets cooked and the overall texture gets creamy. This will take some 15 minutes. Cooling down risotto with thicken quickly. So at this stage you might make it a bit looser then you want it when served.

When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in the spinach, gorgonsola, parmesan and 1 tbs butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with pine nuts and drops of olive oil. And don\'t forget about the glass of chilled dry white wine.

More pictures:
http://fooodstory.blogspot.com/2011/07/gorgonzola-and-spinach-risotto.html