Pesto Risotto a la Caprese

I love making risotto because it is so versatile and adaptable to ingredients. Here I take the famous flavors from the island of Capri (tomato, mozzarella and basil) to make a fresh, summer version of risotto. 

The risotto base is typical, but for the basil pesto, I swapped out pine nuts for pistachios, giving a slight richer and sweeter flavor to the pesto. Walnuts would also be a great substitute. Either way, toast the nuts in a dry skillet over low heat to turn up the flavor. 

Enjoy! Chef Chris

Pesto
2 cups (2 oz) basil, stems removed
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and toasted
Olive oil, about 1/2 cup
2 tsp Salt
Zest of 1 lemon, 
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Place the garlic and pistachios in a food processor and pulse to form a paste.
Add the basil and process to combine.
With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil and process until smooth and creamy.
Scoop mixture into a bowl and season with salt and stir in cheese. 
Set aside.

Risotto
Olive oil
Butter
1 large shallot, finely minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4-5 cups of stock
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh mozzarella, diced
Salt
Lemon

Heat the stock over low heat to keep warm.
Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil. 
Add shallots and cook 3 min. 
Add rice and stir to coat with the oil/butter. Cook about 3 min. 
Add wine and cook until absorbed. 
Add 1 ladle of stock and let it absorb until almost dry and then add another. 
Keep up this process until rice is cooked, about 20 min. 
Rice when tasted should be firm but not crunchy. Cook longer if necessary.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese and pesto. 
Add the tomatoes and mozzarella and stir to combine. 
Add more salt and lemon juice if desired. 
Serve in bowls. 


Pair with…
Our featured white wine this week would be a great pairing with this recipe. The Gaspard Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire region of Touraine (vs the more familiar Sancerre). This wine is exactly what you’re looking for in a summer beverage- citrus, apple and minerality in a crisp, dry package. Enjoy this all summer long with seafood, cheeses and other light dishes.