"Thanksgiving may look a little different this year (AD), so I’ve partnered with @thefeedfeed & @think_rice to bring you an exciting recipe to add to your table! This pumpkin and bacon risotto with aged gouda and fried sage (drool emoji) features U.S.-Grown Medium Grain Rice for an elegant and oh-so-easy dinner option! Risotto is all about the rice, so choosing a U.S.-grown brand was a no-brainer! Get the recipe in my profile, and check out my highlights to watch me make pumpkin risotto! #thinkrice #feedfeed"
Pumpkin Risotto with Bacon, Gouda, and Fried Sage
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Recipe Intro From jennygoycochea
You can’t let the winter pass you by before making a warm, cheesy pot of risotto. Swap in sausage for bacon, if you like. Serve with a simple salad and some good TV!
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Prep time 10mins
Cook time 35mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups U.S.-Grown Medium Grain Rice
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 7 cups chicken broth, homemade, simmering
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup aged gouda, freshly grated
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Method
Step 1
Heat a wide, high-sided skillet over low heat. Add the diced bacon and cook on the lowest heat setting, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is slightly crispy and quite a bit of the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the sage leaves to the bacon fat and fry for about 90 seconds, until darker in color and crispy. Transfer them to the same plate as the bacon.
Step 2
Add the shallots to the skillet with the bacon fat and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the shallots are softened. Add U.S.-Grown Medium Grain Rice and stir to coat in the bacon fat so that all the grains are shiny. Toast rice for about 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the white wine and pumpkin puree and stir into the rice. Bring it to a simmer. Once the wine has been absorbed into the rice, add 1 cup of warm broth while constantly stirring the pot. This is the key to risotto, continuous stirring which releases starch from the rice and creates creaminess. Once that broth has been absorbed, add another cup. A trick to tell when it’s time to add more broth is if the bottom of the pan is exposed when you drag your spoon across the bottom. You will continue to add broth, 1 cup at a time while stirring until it has been absorbed into the rice and the rice is just slightly al dente, about 20 to 22 minutes.
Step 4
Once the rice has reached the desired doneness, turn off the heat. Stir in the butter, mascarpone, and gouda cheese and continue to stir until the cheese and butter are melted and evenly dispersed. Stir the crispy bacon bits into the risotto. At this point, taste for salt and pepper and adjust the seasonings accordingly. Ladle the risotto into bowls. It should have the texture of slow-moving lava. Top with the fried sage. Enjoy!