It’s Friday and time to end the week with a fancy dinner. This risotto is to die for. Delicious as can be, creamy and packed with flavor. I love the addition of balsamic and gorgonzola together.
Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo Risotto
(Adapted from Three Olives Branch)
1 pound steak
salt
black pepper
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons red onion finely diced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes sliced or diced
3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach
4 ounces gorgonzola crumbles (or blue cheese) (approximately 3/4 cup)
balsamic glaze optional
Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
When the pan is hot, add the steak and cook on both sides until you reach your desired doneness. The exact time you need to cook the steak will vary with how well done you want it in addition to how thick it is.
Transfer the steak to a plate. Brush the steak with balsamic vinegar if desired. Cover and set aside to rest.
While the steak is cooking, start the risotto. Place the stock in a small pot and heat over medium low. You want the stock to be warm when adding it to the risotto so that the temperature change does not affect the rice.
In a large pot, melt 3 Tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the red onion. Cook until the onion is translucent but not yet browning, approximately 3-5 minutes.
Add the rice and stir. Continue cooking to slightly toast the rice until it is just starting to show a little brown color, approximately 3-5 minutes.
Add the white wine to the pot. Cook until the rice is almost dry, where most of the wine has been absorbed.
Add one cup of stock to the rice. Stir continuously until most of the stock has been absorbed. Repeat this process 1/2 cup of stock at a time until the rice is cooked thoroughly. You want the rice to have just a little bit of bite left so that it is not completely mushy. Depending on your rice, you may need more or less stock for the right consistency so start tasting the rice after 4 cups.
When your rice is cooked, remove the pot from the heat. Add the rest of the butter, the Parmesan cheese, gorgonzola, frozen spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes (the spinach will warm up in the risotto). It is important to do this before adding salt and pepper because the cheese is salty. Stir to combine.
Taste the risotto and season with additional spinach, gorgonzola, tomatoes, salt, and pepper as desired. Garnish with toasted pine nuts if desired for an extra crunch. Slice or chop the steak and serve on top, or mix in. Serve immediately. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired.
