Brunch Risotto + A LE CREUSET GIVEAWAY(!!!)
Update: this giveaway is now closed. Buttttt, you can be entered into future giveaways here!
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SO, RISOTTO. We're huge fans, mostly because carbs but also because butter. While risotto is like *maybe* normally eaten at dinner, we think it also makes a fantastic Sunday brunch option, and, hey, if you're a little hung over from the weekend it's probably one of the best things to bring you back to life.
The inspiration for this flavor combination actually comes from a really weird morning last month in a West Texas hotel lobby (ah, the life). Matt and I were in the middle of a long road trip and staying in a tiny town with pretty much no food besides what was being served in our hotel. So, when it came time for breakfast, I was like "OK I will eat the oatmeal that sounds like a normal and fine thing to do." But Matt had different ideas. Halfway through my bowl of normal-person oatmeal, Matt walks back from the breakfast bar with a Belgian waffle that was topped with bacon, fresh oranges, and.. cream cheese? I was honestly so grossed out and you can go look at the photo I took of him here for proof of this whole scenario (warning: crappy iPhone quality photo of gross looking food and smug looking Matt).
But, anyway, long story short: I was wrong. It was really freaking good and made us start brain storming about other ways to combine bright citrus acidity with fatty meat and creamy cheese goodness, and hopefully we've done that in a somewhat more refined manner with this recipe. The tang of the goat cheese and the bite of the orange combined with the smoky fatty prosciutto is the best thing ever, and the risotto is a great vehicle for delivering those flavors right to your mouth!
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Orange, Prosciutto, & Goat Cheese Risotto
Prep time: 20 minutes // Cook time: 1 hour // Serves: 3-4
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 4 oz prosciutto, chopped roughly
- Bring chicken broth to a simmer over medium-high heat in a saucepan.
- In your saucier, melt the butter over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent (about 2 minutes), and then add in the orange zest and juice. Cook for about 8 - 10 minutes over medium-low heat until thickened, stirring often.
- Add the rice and white wine and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, give a good stir. Once the broth is absorbed, add another half cup and repeat this process until you've added all of the broth, waiting for each new addition of broth to be absorbed before adding the next addition - this should take about 20 - 30 minutes. Test the tenderness of the rice around the second to last addition - if it is very tender you may want to skip the last addition of broth to avoid overcooking it and ending up with a mushy risotto. You do not want to cover the saucier at any point during this process.
- Once all of the broth has been added and your rice is plump, fox in half of the goat cheese and prosciutto.
- Serve in a bowl or plate and garnish with the remaining goat cheese and prosciutto, as well as a fresh rosemary if desired.
We served this brunch with our favorite kale salad (which we added Parmesan cheese to!). The risotto can absolutely stand on its own and is super delicious as it is with just the recipe above, but if you really need all the morning brunch calories, try adding a couple poached eggs or (like we did) topping the stuff off with some yum gravy like this one here.
