Persimmon Risotto with goat cheese and bacon is a simple and yet versatile side dish for the holidays. It's always a crowd-pleaser. Creamy goodness that can be eaten as a solo dish or pair it with seafood, chicken or pork.
In these early days of winter, with the white skies veiled by a thin mist, the persimmons are small beauties of nature, clinging tenaciously to the bare branches of exposed trees and are ready for harvesting.
Running through the Spanish Moss Trail for very first time in our town they can be spotted from afar, a spontaneous festive decoration to welcome the return of winter. Along with local citrus trees. the persimmon trees are also weighed down by orbs of sweet and sticky fruit that is as tasty as jam: it is the peak of the persimmon season.
Today’s post was born as a challenge with my husband (a picky eater) which has given life to many recipes, including this one. He said, "Inna, I know you like this weird fruit but I don't, what if you tried cooking it? What do you think?" My creative juices took over and I experimented and made a few things:
Italian prosciutto wrapped in sliced persimmons with goat cheese. This is an excellent starter for a dinner party.
Persimmon pizza, a simple take on a classic American favorite pizza; the Hawaiian Pizza with ham and cheese.
Although these are tasty recipes, it seems like the silky creamy risotto with persimmons has produced more votes with my family,
What is Risotto?
Regardless of what you might have heard, risotto is a cooking technique and not an actual rice grain. It’s cooking the rice slowly, by adding small amounts of liquid (broth), until the arborio rice absorbs the stock and turns creamy and delicious.
Olive oil, butter and parmesan are usually the part of the dish.
MORE RISOTTO RECIPES FOR RISOTTO LOVERS
Buckwheat Risotto (Grechotto) with Chanterelle Mushrooms
WHAT DO I LIKE ABOUT PERSIMON RISOTTO WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BACON?
Whether it’s fall, winter, or any other time of the year risotto is always on my menu! It’s easy to prepare and incredibly versatile in that you can add just about any vegetable, fruit and flavor producing a delicious bowl of comfort food like no other!
Risotto is a great vehicle for using up the night before leftovers of protein or maybe roasted veggies.
Do persimmons seem too sweet? How about some tangy goat cheese and crispy salty and smoky bacon to up the yumminess?
WHAT KIND OF PERSIMON IS BEST FOR PERSIMON RISOTTO WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BACON?
Fuyu and Hachiya are the main types of persimmons and are the ones most commonly found in grocery stores across the country. For this recipe I used Fuyu. Great to eat as it is, or in cooking applications. Because of the heating processs involved, you can pretty much use any kind you like and in any ripeness stage of this fruit.
Most varieties, beside Fuyu are high in a tannic acid and may actually be associated with constipation and will make your tongue go numb a bit. So make sure the fruit is ripe; I like very ripe, almost a slippery texture. They are great to eat by themselves or add to your smoothies or freeze and eat with a spoon like Italian sorbate. Due to their sweetness, they can definitely help with your sweet cravings. Give them a try soon and see which one is your favorite.
WHY PERSIMONS ARE GOOD FOR YOU?
Persimmon fruit is jam-packed with beneficial antioxidants.
In addition to lowering cholesterol, keeping your eyes healthy and supporting regularity, persimmons may even help reduce inflammation.
One raw persimmon fruit contains some magnesium, thiamine, folate and phosphorus along with the following:
118 calories
31.2 grams carbohydrates
1 gram protein
0.3 gram fat
6 grams fiber
270 milligrams potassium (8 percent DV)
0.2 milligram vitamin B6 (8 percent DV)
1.2 milligrams vitamin E (6 percent DV)
4.4 micrograms vitamin K (5 percent DV)
2,733 international units vitamin A (55 percent DV)
0.6 milligram manganese (30 percent DV)
12.6 milligrams vitamin C (21 percent DV)
0.2 milligram copper (9 percent DV)
Love and appreciate your seasonal produce, for this is the way we all should eat.
If you already love and appreciate this short seasonal fruit then you must try this salad: Salad with Persimmon and Citruses - Dill Vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR PERSIMON RISOTTO WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BACON
Persimmon – I like to use Fuyu persimmon as their tartness counters the sweetness of the rest of the dish.
Arborio Rice – comes from Northern Italy and is the go-to rice for making authentic risotto dishes. It’s a short grain rice with an ultra-creamy and chewy texture. What makes it special is its high starch content that is responsible for its creamy texture and consistency known to all great risottos.
White wine – I used Pino Grigio, the wine I like to drink with my risotto the most. Increase the heat a little bit, and let the alcohol evaporate.
Chicken Stock – Feel free to use vegetable stock. Homemade is always best.
Butter – The recipe calls for a small amount and these 1-2 tablespoons create the most creamy-silky texture. Use salted or unsalted, it is up to you but do use good quality grass fed for it is always the best option for your health.
Onion – A total of 1 cup of diced onion is needed. This is roughly 1 medium or 2 small ones. I used regular onion but feel free to use any kind of onion.
Bacon – I like to use uncured bacon, use your favorite. Just try to stay away from heavily flavored bacon as it changes the flavor profile.
Soft Goat Cheese – I used homemade goat chevre, please use any kind. Goat cheese gouda is excellent too. The tanginess is perfect to counter the sweetness of the risotto. A peppered goat cheese is also a great counter balance.
Now, let's make this comfort meal. This dish will help you if you feel under the weather, and will make you a lover of persimmons.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Total time: 23 minutes
Author: Inna of innichkachef.com
Serves: 6 portions
INGREDIENTS
1 Fuyu persimmon, diced
1 onion
1 cup of rice Arborio
2-3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
4 oz goat cheese any kind (I used homemade goat chevre)
2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3-4 slices of bacon or pancetta
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Celtic Salt to your taste
Chopped parsley (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Chop your bacon and onion. Set a side.
In a large pan with a heavy bottom, preheat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add bacon. Cook for a few minutes. Add onion and sauté for a few minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent but not brown.
Add the rice and toast it over medium heat for a few minutes. Then pour in the white wine and increase the heat.
Low the heat and add in 1 cup of warm broth to the rice and simmer it until it's fully absorbed. Add the broth into the pan in small portions, stirring between each round until the broth is fully absorbed and the rice is al dente. The cooking time will vary depending on the type of rice you have chosen. Usually 15 minutes should be enough.
Halfway through the cooking, add the chopped persimmon, then keep on cooking adding more stock.
Add goat cheese and parsley, mix all together. Cook for a minute or so.
Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and butter. Mix all together and at this point, check the texture. If needed, add additional salt and pepper and add more broth if that is needed too. Now, remove from the heat and drizzle with some more of the olive oil.
Serve immediately. If you are planning to reheat the risotto latter on, make sure to have stock available to add as needed.
Note on serving Persimmon Risotto with Goat Cheese and Bacon
Serve with chicken, seafood or on its own.
Some fresh beautiful salad and crusty bread are not a bad idea either.
ENJOY!
I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon or Pinterest.