pear pancetta risotto

 

as the sweaters come out (YAY) & the temperature drops (double YAY) i am ready to introduce all the comforting cold weather foods back into my diet. while i am someone who makes risotto during the summer months too, i know not everyone wants to stand over a steamy hot stove for an hour in the dog days of summer! this risotto recipe is inspired by all things fall & features the sweet taste of fresh tree ripened pears from the orchard.

off topic: is anyone as excited as me to go apple picking this month?!? okay, back to the risotto.

to start this risotto off, i opted for cambria wine's: benchbreak chardonnay. i can't stress how important it is to cook with good quality wines & this chardonnay adds the perfect flavour base to any flavour of risotto! it features a lively fruit & oak spice aroma that pairs perfectly with the pears. i used pancetta to add a touch of heartiness & saltiness, but prosciutto or guanciale would be an excellent subsittue as well. cured italian meats make every dish better. lastly, i highly reccomend using a low sodium chicken stock. this allows you to control the amount of salt that gets added to the rissoto as the rice soaks up the stock because there is no saving a salty risotto!

ingredients

  • 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 pears, peeled & diced
  • 1/2 cup pancetta, diced
  • 1 teaspoon sage
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 3/4 cup cambria wines: benchbreak chardonnay
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

directions

  • heat chicken stock in a large pot over low heat.
  • in a separate skillet over medium-low heat add the butter, oil, onion, pears, pancetta & sage. season with salt & pepper.
  • cook until the onions are translucent & the pears have softened.
  • add the rice & cook until the rice begins to turn translucent. about a minute.
  • turn skillet down to low heat & add the wine. once the rice has absorbed the liquid, add a ladle full of chicken stock. once the stock is absorbed add another ladle full stirring in between each addition. continue this step until the rice is fully cooked throughout (about 6 cups of stock). taste it to confirm the rice is cooked throughout.
  • stir in the parmesan cheese & a touch of cracked black pepper. serve immediately.

caramelized brussels sprouts + pancetta

 

this weekend i am going to be painting just about every room in the new home! i am quite excited to see how all the colours i picked will look. i stuck with warm grey paint tone's from farrow + ball's line of estate emulsion paints! but since getting the home ready will be keeping me quite busy over the next few weeks, i decided to get my thanksgiving menu ready early! so i have teamed up with wayfair to share with you one of my all time favourite thanksgiving side dishes. i mean, pancetta!? it really doesn't get much better then that. i never grew up eating brussles sprouts, so i never had any negative feelings towards these little guys. i actually love them. there is so much you can do with them! cook them in chicken stock, toss them in browned butter or go the sweet route & use apple cider. this is such a quick & easy one pot side dish to put together which is very important when preparing a whole thanksgiving feast! the less dishes to wash in the end, the better.

you can find some fun thanksgiving decor, tablescape ideas & serving bowls, up on wayfair!, i even got a few items for the house too. okay, a few is an understatement.. i am starting to become best friends with the UPS guys. anyways, wish me ALL the luck with painting! i am sure going to need it once i finish one wall & see there is three more to go.

ingredients

  • 2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 pound pancetta, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 2 medium shallots, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons quality balsamic vinegar
  • sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste

directions

  • in a large pot of salted boiling water, add brussels sprouts. blanch them for two minutes & immediately submerge them into an ice bath. this will keep those sprouts bright & vibrant throughout the rest of the cooking process. set aside.
  • in a sauce pan over medium heat add the olive oil & pancetta. cook until the pancetta is browned & crispy. remove pancetta but leave the fat to cook with.
  • add the garlic & shallot, cook until translucent. about 5 minutes.
  • toss in the blanched brussels sprouts with the balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • add the pancetta back in & pour into desired serving dish.

this post was created in partnership with wayfair.ca for the pass the dish campaign! you can see the rest of the menu here: appetizer | main | side dish | dessert.