Pear and Tête de Moine Risotto

Name: Pear and Tête de Moine Risotto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Butter 3 ½ tbsp; Carnaroli rice 1 ¾ cup; Shallot 1; Vegetable broth 4 ¼ cups; Abate Fetel pears (already cleaned) 10.6 oz; Dry white wine 0.67 cup; Tête de Moine 4.8 oz; Fine salt to taste

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567

Calories per serving

Gluten Free
Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 567
Carbohydrates g 78
of which sugars g 8
Protein g 15
Fats g 19
of which saturated fat g 10.72
Fiber g 3.3
Cholesterol mg 66
Sodium mg 1237

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

If you're feeling like something a bit fancy but still super comforting, this pear risotto with Tête de Moine is the way to go. And here's the thing: this cheese from Switzerland? Seriously good. Tête de Moine, hailing from the Abbey of Bellelay in the Bern Canton, is a star ingredient. It's known for its aromatic flavor and unique texture—really, really special stuff. Traditionally, it's cut into rosettes using a Girolle. Not just for show—it melts beautifully into the rice.

First off, you start with sautéed pears deglazed with white wine, adding a tangy and slightly sweet flavor. It's so so good, running through the dish. Plus, the rice stays a bit firm, giving you a satisfying bite. Perfectly complements the rich, nutty notes of the cheese.

Now, pear and cheese risotto might sound unusual, but let me tell you, it's a beloved choice in Switzerland. Especially for special dinners. The magic of Tête de Moine risotto lies in the play between the almost crunchy rice and the creamy melt of the cheese rosettes. It's creamy but not heavy—thanks to the pears, it doesn’t get too rich. Some might even think it’s dessert-like because of the fruit, but it’s definitely a dinner dish.

A gourmet risotto idea that’s sure to impress. The cheese's aroma is incredibly inviting—no question. Adding a few extra cheese curls on top? Which is great. It makes for a stunning presentation. Ultimately, every bite gives you a mix of moist rice, fresh pear, and savory cheese, blending into something unexpected and delicious. That's what makes Swiss cheese risotto so special—really worth making when you want to share something memorable. For real.

INGREDIENTS: Butter 3 ½ tbsp (50 g); Carnaroli rice 1 ¾ cup (320 g); Shallot 1; Vegetable broth 4 ¼ cups (1 l); Abate Fetel pears 10.6 oz (300 g) - (already cleaned); Dry white wine 0.67 cup (150 ml); Tête de Moine 4.8 oz (135 g); Fine salt to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Pear and Tête de Moine Risotto

To prepare the pear and Tête de Moine risotto, unwrap the cheese 1, cut off the cap 2 and place the cheese, cut side down, on a cutting board. Insert the Girolle spindle into the center of the cheese 3 and

turn the cheese, pressing it down to the bottom 4. Insert the knife into the spindle and gently turn it on the cheese to create thin rose-shaped slices (5-6).

Peel and dice the pears 7, then put them in a small pot 8 and drizzle with 50 ml of white wine, taken from the total amount 9, and a ladle of broth, and cook them for a few minutes.

Finely chop the shallot and let it soften over low heat in a large saucepan with the butter 10. Then add the rice and toast it 11. When the rice is transparent, deglaze with the remaining 100 ml of white wine 12.

Moisten with a couple of ladles of broth 13, adding it whenever the rice dries out. Halfway through cooking, add 3.5 oz of Tête de Moine 14 and the seared pears with their cooking liquid 15, season with salt, and mix well.

Continue cooking the risotto, adding a ladle of broth whenever necessary, and when the risotto is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the butter and another 1.25 oz of Tête de Moine 16. Serve the pear and Tête de Moine risotto hot, garnishing it with a beautiful cheese rosette in the center of the plate (17-18)!

Storage

Store the pear and Tête de Moine risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Tip

The German soul in me cannot refrain from suggesting you enrich this dish with some speck, perhaps sautéed with the shallot… Also, if you want to give the dish a different touch, you can complete it with some chopped walnuts.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Pear and Tête de Moine Risotto

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Pear and Tête de Moine Risotto

Storage

Tip

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