Red Pepper Cream Risotto... Recipe
I'm a sucker for risotto...I would do almost anything for it...especially on a cold, rainy Saturday when the mister is away doing who knows what and I have complete control of the menu AND the TV remote! Surrounded by magazines, Caesar Beezer the Wonder Dog, and lots of plump pillows, I settled in with a piping hot bowl of risotto and watched Sweet Home Alabama followed by How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days...it was, by far, the best evening I've had at home in 7 1/2 years - give or take a year.
- Red Pepper Cream Risotto - Adapted from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman
- 3 whole red bell peppers
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 large white onion, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Grated Parmesan for garnish
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
Roast red peppers over an open flame, under a broiler, or on a grill until the skin is blistered and blackened. Put peppers in a Ziploc bag and allow to sweat for about ten minutes. Remove the peels from the charred peppers, along with the seeds and membranes and set aside. In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, toast the pine nuts, in an even layer, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, but watch carefully so they don't burn. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the red peppers with the pine nuts and process until smooth. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat, and add onions. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the rice and cook for additional two minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and slowly stir in one cup of vegetable broth and stir, continuously, until all liquid is absorbed. Gradually add the white wine and cook until all liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Gradually add the last 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth, again, stirring constantly until all liquid is absorbed. Stir in red pepper and pine nut mixture and cream. Add salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed. (Total cooking time should be about 30 minutes, if you've had the heat too high you'll be done cooking faster but your rice won't be as soft...to remedy this, add more broth and cook slowly until rice is done - soft but still with some "bite" to it.) Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley as garnish. Serves 2 to 3.
This was my dinner. It was also my late-night snack. And my breakfast the next morning. The sweet red bell pepper taste is perfect- not strong, or over-bearing, like a raw green bell pepper...and the creaminess of the sauce...mmmmm...let's just say I went to my happy place. Calories? Don't even go there...as I like to say...never let a good thing go to waste...just waist.