Risotto with Canadian Bacon, Rosemary Pesto and Appelstroop

You are in for a serious treat with this recipe for Risotto with Canadian Bacon, Rosemary Pesto and Appelstroop. This isn’t your average risotto. Instead, it’s a mix of unexpected ingredients that bring influences from the Dutch. Our perfectly cooked, al dente risotto provides the bed for bright, aromatic, and slightly piney rosemary pesto. The Canadian bacon adds that little bit of fat that you need for a depth of flavors. But, the star of the whole dish is the appelstroop, a pear and apple syrup that compliments rather than overpowers. Every spoonful delivers a surprising fusion of herbal freshness, salty meatiness, and a hint of autumnal sweetness.

Try our recipe for homemade Appelstroop to use in this risotto dish.

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Risotto with Canadian Bacon, Rosemary Pesto and Appelstroop

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• Author: Ingmar Niezen

Print Recipe

Description

The sweet syrup works uniquely well with the savory risotto.

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Ingredients

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• 5 oz dried brown beans (soaked overnight)
• 8 oz Canadian bacon
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 oz roasted pine nuts
• 3.5 oz Pecorino cheese, grated
• 2 oz butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 9 oz Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 to 4 ½ cups vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp Apple Pear Syrup (Appelstroop)
• Olive oil

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Instructions

1. Bring the soaked beans together with the bacon to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour, or until done.
2. Drain the beans and bacon and save the water. You can use that for the stock.
3. To make the pesto: take the needles off the rosemary sprigs, and chop up with the parsley. Place in blender with the garlic, the pine nuts, half the Pecorino cheese and enough olive oil to make it a smooth pesto. Set aside.
4. Melt half of the butter in a large pan on medium heat.
5. Sauté the onion and celery for a few minutes until soft.
6. Add the rice and the beans and sauté another minute.
7. Add the wine and wait till the rice has absorbed it all, then start adding the stock. Keep adding the stock little by little until rice is al dente.
8. Take the pan off the heat and add the rest of the butter and the cheese.
9. Put a lid on the pan and let it rest for a few minutes.
10. Serve the risotto on pre-heated dishes with the bacon, the pesto and a tablespoon of Apple Pear Syrup.

Recipes and Food Styling by Ingmar Niezen
Photography by Maarten van der Wal

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