Risotto with Caramelized Pears and Blue Cheese

By Texaschef11

Ingredients

• Caramelized pears
• Two pears, thinly sliced
• Half a red onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp butter
• 1-2 Tsp sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter over medium high heat

Add pears and red onion

Cook over medium high heat at least 10-12 minutes until it smells incredible

Reduce heat to lowest setting.

Meanwhile, cook the risotto.

2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
1 glass of white wine (about 2/3 cup)
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
Broth (about 4 cups, maybe a bit more or less; chicken or vegetable broth can be used)
1-2 oz blue cheese
handful of toasted hazelnuts

Blue Cheese Dressing:
2 ½ oz crumbled blue cheese (1/2 cup)
3 Tbsp buttermilk
3 Tsp sour cream
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
¼ tsp sugar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Mash buttermilk and blue cheese until it’s the consistency of cottage cheese.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Risotto:
Heat the olive oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.

Cook the chopped onion until translucent and very slightly colored.

Add the rice and cook about 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine to the rice and allow it to evaporate.

Add about ½ cup of broth and simmer.

Add the rest of the broth, about ½ cup at a time, keeping mixture at a simmer.

Simmer the rice until the risotto is creamy but the rice is still "al dente", about 20 minutes.

Stir in blue cheese and allow to melt.

Stir in hazelnuts.


The grand finale
Combine the caramelized pears with the risotto. Spoon into a shallow dish and serve with the dressing on the side.