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Apple Risotto

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Servings: 6 people
This recipe originated from one of our all time favorite anime shows Food Wars. While I have cooked a few recipes from the show this is by far our favorite. If you have the patience of making this dish this recipe is well worth the hard work. This recipe is adapted from Honest Food Talks recipe. I have made some changes according to both the show and classic Risotto. I have provided notes below that I would suggest reading before making this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups apple juice
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 medium onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup dry white Arborio rice
  • 2 cups fuji apple about 2 apples, peeled, diced
  • Juice of 1 lemon about 2 Tablespoons
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 sliced thick cut bacon

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 450° F. line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on baking sheet. For extra crispy bacon, arrange bacon in a single layer on two racks over 2 foil lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until bacon is desired doneness.
  • Peel and slice the apples and toss them with the lemon juice to stop them from oxidizing.
  • In a large sauce pan combine chicken broth and apple juice over low heat. Bring the broth mixture to a low simmer. Reduce heat to low and keep the broth mixture hot until use.
  • In a separate Dutch oven melt 2 Tablespoons butter over medium low heat until soft and translucent.
  • Add the garlic and rice and cook 2 minutes until the rice turns light brown.
  • Add the wine to deglaze the pot. Cook the wine stirring occasionally until the wine is fully absorbed. Add half the apples and stir to combine.
  • Using a ladle, stirring constantly add the broth mixture 1 ladle at a time until the broth had been fully absorbed before adding another ladle. Continue this until the rice no long absorbs the liquid.
  • Add the remaining apples, 2 Tablespoons butter, parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Serve the risotto with 2 slices bacon.

Notes

  • This recipe is so popular around our house that I will normally double or even triple the recipe.
  • It is important to add the liquid slowly and allow it to absorb each time before adding more. this by far takes the longest (about 30 minutes). Get another person and a couple chairs and switch between someone adding the liquid and stirring.
  • DO NOT STOP STIRRING! The rice can stick and burn to the bottom of the pan. To get the creamy final product you must keep stirring.
  • When cooking the onion and garlic make sure not to overcook. I learned from experience that burned garlic tastes terrible. The objective is to not sauté the onions, you just want to cook them enough to release the flavor.
  • You can add the apples at once at the very end if you want a crunchy apple texture. I personally prefer adding half the apples before and half the apples after cooking for a combined texture of crunchy and soft.
  • If apple juice is the only liquid added it turns out too sweet. I prefer a 50% 50% mixture of apple juice and chicken stock for a balanced flavor.
  • The original recipe does not mention keeping the broth mixture hot but this is a must when making risotto! Joshua Weissman’s video on how to make risotto is a great place to start if you are new to making risotto.
  • Feast of Fiction has a good recipe that shows you how to cook a similar recipe.