Risotto with Taleggio, Orange, and Bacon is a main course prepared with simple ingredients that make it both delicious and refined. After preparing the classic base of sautéed onions and toasted rice, the rice is cooked by adding orange juice that colors and perfumes it, with taleggio cheese adding creaminess alongside the crunchy notes of bacon and pistachio crumbs. A perfect dish for special occasions, holidays, or when you want to savor a risotto that’s different from the usual.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Creative
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups vegetable broth (or water, approximately)
- 3/4 cup Carnaroli rice
- 3 1/2 oz Taleggio cheese
- 1 1/2 oz bacon
- 1 1/2 oz yellow onion
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 1 blonde orange
- as needed orange zest
- as needed Grana Padano cheese, grated
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- as needed fine salt
- as needed black pepper
- as needed crushed pistachios
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Stainless steel skillet
- Slotted spoon
- Frying pan
- Lemon zester
- Grater
- Pot
- Ladle
- Citrus juicer
- Strainer
- Wooden spoon
Steps
To prepare the risotto with taleggio, orange, and bacon…
First, heat the vegetable broth, previously prepared or dissolve a vegetable stock cube in water, in a pot.
Then, take the orange, wash it, grate its zest, and set it aside. Squeeze the orange juice, which you will use to moisten the rice.
Proceed by peeling and chopping the yellow onion, add it to the skillet with extra virgin olive oil, and let it soften over medium heat, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon.
Once the onion becomes slightly translucent, add the rice and toast it, then deglaze with dry white wine and let it evaporate.
Once the wine has evaporated, pour in the strained orange juice using a fine-mesh sieve, and gradually add the broth. Stir the rice occasionally with the slotted wooden spoon and add broth as it dries out. Cook the risotto for about 20 minutes over medium heat.
Meanwhile, cut the bacon into strips and brown it in a pan without adding anything, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon until crispy. Also, cut the taleggio into cubes.
Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat, add the taleggio cubes (reserve some for decoration), cream it with butter and grated Grana Padano, add half of the grated orange zest, salt, pepper, and mix everything. The risotto should not be too dry; add a little broth if needed.
Finally, garnish the risotto with the remaining taleggio cubes, crispy bacon, orange zest, and crushed pistachios. Serve the risotto with taleggio, orange, and bacon while hot.
