Sweet Potato Risotto with Rosemary and Gorgonzola
Risotto filled with sweet potato puree, fresh rosemary herb, and Gorgonzola.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, (1 3/4 - 2 cups puree)
- 6 - 7 cups excellent-quality chicken (or vegetable) stock or broth, unsalted or low-sodium
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, 1/4" dice
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice, or Carnaroli rice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pushed through a garlic press
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1/2 - 2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, to taste, see Notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them with a fork about 9 times all over the surface.
- Bake the potatoes for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a fork easily pierces through. Remove them from the oven to cool for about 15 minutes, or until they can be easily handled.
- Scoop out the flesh into a bowl and puree with an immersion blender, or mash very well with a meat masher (or a fork) until as smooth as possible. Set aside.
- Warm the stock in a separate saucepan over medium-low heat and maintain the heat. (You want your stock very warm, but no need to boil.)
- In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and butter until the butter has melted and is hot. Do not allow the butter to brown.
- Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. Keep in mind the saltiness of the stock and the Gorgonzola that will be added at the end.
- Stir the onions often, sautéing just until softening and turning opaque. Turn the heat down if one or two look like they are browning.
- Add the rice and stir often to “toast” the rice grains. Once most of the risotto rice is turning opaque and smelling quite fragrant, add the garlic and stir for about 20 seconds.
- Begin adding the stock, 1 cup/ladleful at a time, stirring until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Continue adding additional stock, 1 cup at a time, until the risotto is creamy and the grains are soft with a bit of “bite” still in the center, but not “crunchy.”
- The cooking process up till now could take about 35 to 45 minutes. Your patience will be rewarded.
- Once the risotto is cooked perfectly, add about ½ cup more of the warm stock. Stir and heat through.
- Crumble the Gorgonzola over the risotto and stir until melted.
- Add the pureed sweet potato and combine well. Add more stock as needed if the mixture is too thick for you. It should be creamy.
- Taste and adjust any salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
Gorgonzola is a fairly mild blue in comparison to Roquefort or even Stilton. It still packs some pungency, so adjust amounts to your tastes as desired. My first time testing this recipe, I threw in a little over 5 ounces of the cheese. Whew. It was a bit much, and I love Gorgonzola. I dialed it back for the second testing and was much more pleased and actually enjoyed eating the dish.
Having some extra stock/water is helpful, since the risotto will thicken while cooling/standing the slightest bit. That's the nature of the rice/risotto. Especially when reheating leftovers, the risotto will benefit from an extra dose of stock or even water.
Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Risotto with Rosemary and Gorgonzola
Amount per Serving
Calories
216.6
% Daily Value*
Fat
3.94
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
1.52
g
10
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.32
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1.91
g
Cholesterol
5
mg
2
%
Sodium
162.54
mg
7
%
Potassium
442.13
mg
13
%
Carbohydrates
40.06
g
13
%
Fiber
1.64
g
7
%
Sugar
2.44
g
3
%
Protein
4.46
g
9
%
Vitamin A
3256
IU
65
%
Vitamin C
2.18
mg
3
%
Calcium
29.79
mg
3
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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