Rootwood Report No. 7 - Golden Delicious Risotto

It’s officially fall, which means we can finally incorporate apple and pumpkin into any and every recipe and it is socially acceptable! A truly special time of year, if we do say so ourselves.

Since we have apples and cider at the ready, we decided to give this Golden Delicious Risotto a try. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of dry cider, so we opted for the Bin 18, which lent a nice but subtle kick to the Arborio rice. Side note - you’re in for about 20 minutes of stirring, so get your forearms ready.

While we were slightly skeptical about incorporating the crisp sweetness of Golden Delicious apples into a traditionally savory entrée, this apple themed risotto proved to make a fantastic fall dinner. This recipe is good for about 4 servings, though it may be optimistic to plan for leftovers even if you’re only serving two.

Golden Delicious Risotto

Ingredients

4-5 cups vegetable broth
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups peeled and diced Golden Delicious apples
1/2 cup dry cider
2 tablespoons grated parmesan plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Heat the broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cover.
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a large saucepan over low heat, then add onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until fragrant and just beginning to soften.
Add the rice and 1 cup of diced apples. Cook, stirring gently for 3 minutes.
Add the cider and continue stirring until it evaporates. Slowly add enough hot broth (about 1 cup) to just cover the rice and adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
Stir constantly until almost all of the broth has absorbed. Continue adding hot broth in increments (barely covering the rice and allowing to cook down, stirring the entire time) until the rice is al dente. This took about 20 minutes.
Add the parmesan, remaining apples, butter, and salt. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes, then sprinkle with parmesan. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Cidercraft Magazine (Fall 2017)