I have a weakness for beautiful cookware (some woman collect jewelry, I surround myself pots and pans). The first time I saw the Lagostina Risotto Pot at my local Williams-Sonoma, I nearly swooned. Gleaming tri-ply stainless steel! A wooden topped lid (that fits tightly and doubles as a trivet)! And a thick, heat diffusing base to prevent hot spots and burning!
To my very great delight, not long after spotting this gorgeous pot for the first time, I got an email asking if I might like one to use for the development of a risotto recipe. I sent a positive response off as quickly as my fingers could type.
Since this lovely piece of cookware arrived, I’ve been making a lot of risotto. It’s one of my favorite things to make and eat on chilly days. I love the ceremony of near-constant cooking (though to be truthful, I often put the spoon down for a moment or two so that I can do a little clean-up while I cook) and the comfort that comes when you cozy up to a bowlful.
Whenever I make risotto, my primary goal is to cram as much vegetable content into the pot. Risotto can be a heavy dish, and so making sure that it’s packed with fresh produce (in this case, aromatics, greens, and roasted squash) helps lighten it and make it a more regular dinnertime occurrence.
When I make this for me (if I’m making if for Scott, I use roasted carrots in place of squash), I peel and chop all the squash and stir it into the rice. However, if I have friends coming by, I like to reserve some of the roasted squash to serve on top. It brings a little visual and textural interest to the plate and makes it feel like something you might be served as the neighborhood Italian place.
What’s nice about this piece of cookware is that truly, it’s good for so much more than risotto. The wide base and low profile mean that it’s a great shape for any dish you want to simmer and reduce. It does good work with small batches of jam and I love using to make Marcella’s tomato sauce.
The Lagostina Risotto pot can be found at Williams-Sonoma, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and other specialty shops, and retails for $199.95. For more information about Lagostina, check out their social accounts and visit their website.
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Thanks to the kind folks at Lagostina, I have one of their glorious Risotto Pots to give away to you guys. Here’s how to enter.
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me what kind of risotto you’d make in this pot.
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Saturday, December 19, 2015. A winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday, December 20, 2015.
- Giveaway open to United States residents only. Void where prohibited.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.
Disclosure: Lagostina sent me this risotto pot to use and write about. No additional compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Winter Squash Risotto with Leeks and Greens
Ingredients
- 1 pound winter squash butternut, acorn, hubbard are all good
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for drizzling
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh thyme for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion minced
- 2 large leeks cleaned and chopped
- 6 cups chopped greens a mix of kale, spinach, and chard is good
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 cups carnaroli rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 8 cups chicken or veg stock warmed
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the squash into wedges, slices, or cubes and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt, and arrange some fresh thyme leaves around the squash. Roast for 25-40 minutes, until the squash is tender.
- While the squash cooks, place your risotto pot on the stove. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and sliced leeks and cook, stirring regularly, until the wilt and brown a little.
- Add the greens and stir them into the onions and leeks. Cook until tender.
- Add the butter and the rice and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until all the rice grains are glistening and separated.
- Pour in the white wine and stir to combine until it’s been absorbed.
- Once the wine has absorbed, add just enough stock to cover the rice and veg, and stir until it’s been incorporated.
- Continue adding the stock and stirring, until all the stock as been absorbed.
- When you’ve incorporated all the stock, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Taste and add some salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut about half the squash away from the peels and into chunks. Stir it into the finished risotto. Reserve about half the roasted squash to use as a garnish. Serve hot.
Swiss chard, beet greens, and sweet potato risotto!
I’ve never made risotto but love to eat it at restaurants. I would love to try this amazing recipe!
It’s time to start making risotto….with this pot!
What a lovely looking pot!! I would use it for so much more than risotto, but I would definitely use it to make duck and garlic mushroom risotto, with red wine. I bet roasted squash would round out the flavor profile wonderfully!
Every week I make a new Risotto so if I had this new pot it would get a lot of use.. some of the ones I would make are my staple “Tomato Risotto” where I add in tomato sauce, chopped Spinach and top with roasted Broccoli. Leek with Roasted Mushroom and Butternut Squash which when you blend and add it provides such a creamy, cheesy consistency.
Mushroom! Just like they serve in Tuscany!
I’d make Butternut Squash Risotto, with the butternut from my garden this year.
I’ve never made risotto before so I’ll start at the beginning with something simple.
I like to make a garden catch all risotto, sometimes with ham. This year I planted WAY too much kohlrabi so that was in every batch, with the greens, along with green beans, and kale or carrots if I had any handy.
I love risotto with mushrooms and peas!
That is a gorgeous piece of cookware. I like making asparagus risotto in the spring.
Butternut squash risotto. Topped with some fried sage leaves!
Wow – that is one beautiful piece of cookware! This time of year I’d make a mushroom risotto with lots of Parmesan, or maybe a butternut squash risotto, but in the spring I’d cut asparagus from my garden and turn that into the best risotto ever. 🙂
Caramelized onion, arugula, and spicy sausage. Though adding squash in sounds delicious as well!
I love risotto. I’d make a caramelized onion and mushroom risotto in this beautiful pot.
What a great pot! I would make a lovely mushroom and asparagus risotto first, but then try polenta.
I would love to try this recipe. That pot is gorgeous
Wow! lovely pot. I think I’d try some simple risotto but may gravitate towards some polenta!
Classic parmesan rissoto with peas. Oh so good!
Omg this is fantastical! I adore risotto. The first one i would make in this pot is the luscious one I made for Valentine’s Day this year: champagne risotto.
Lemon and asparagus 🙂
I love to make risotto and think winter squash is wonderful in it. I use leeks or shallots. I love the idea of adding lots of greens;I shall try this as I love kale.
I still have about 25 squash sitting in my garage, all from my garden! So, I will definitely give your risotto a try. Thanks.
I’ve never made risotto before, but I’d love to try! Something with garlic and fresh herbs sounds delightful. I have rosemary and oregano on the back porch.
Love the pot! I would make mushroom, yum.
I would prepare a pecan farro risotto with shallots and Reggiano.
Butternut squash and loads of garlic would be my fave risotto….I just wish I could make it with BROWN rice!
BTW…have been making jam the past two days from frozen fruit. My first foray into this was a huge success, but this time not so much. I think I’ve actually made a nice syrup for ice cream or yogurt at this point :/ Either way, it is quite tasty and the seal is perfect on the jars.
I would love to make a spring risotto with asparagus and parmesan cheese!
Lemon artichoke risotto!
Creamy, cheesy risotto with asparagus
Oh, man…what kind of risotto *wouldn’t* I make in this! I’d start with mushroom, parmesan cheese & peas, butternut squash, asparagus, dark chocolate…..
Roasted asparagus and Parmesan cheese.
Mushroom.
I would like to try to make a mushroom risotto recipe!
I’d love to try your recipe, I’m squash-obsessed lately, and it looks amazing!
Greek lemon risotto is to die for!!
I would make a seafood risotto with shrimp and a basil or thyme.
I would make butternut squash risotto. My recipe is different from yours–no greens–but still fabulous! The secret is to cook and mash half of the squash and dice and brown the other half which you mix in at the end. Yum!
Pumpkin and chard risotto for me.
I would make squid ink risotto with calamari rings. I’ve been dying to make it but worried what the ink might do to my white enameled pot.
I have 3 kinds of risotto I like to make. Shrimp, asparagus and butternut squash. Yum makes me hungry thinking about it.
Mushrooms with garlic and Parmesan!
What a beautiful pot to cook with, too.
What a beautiful pot! I love the cherry wood lid. We like risotto…butternut squash, mushroom, asparagus. Throw a little spinach, kale, some pine nuts and Parmesan in. Delicious!
I’m a big fan of mixed-mushroom risotto with thyme.
Classic Parmesan risotto, with bacon. Now I’m crossing all fingers and toes and knocking on wood! What a gorgeous pot! Swoon!
Truth? I wouldn’t make risotto; I don’t care for the texture. What I *would* make in this pot is pilaf – right now, a slightly Moroccan-inspired one, with lamb, green beans and green olives. When the weather warms up, one with chicken, artichoke hearts, mushrooms and maybe yellow squash.
I would also use it to braise cabbage, carrots and sausage, to toss with pasta.
That is a _beautiful_ pot.
I am currently roasting one of many winter squash left from this fall, so I would probably try out this recipe you have just posted. sounds delightful, never have mastered the art of risotto but would love to try!
My husband’s favorite is mushroom, so that’s the first one I would make. I like your winter squash version though and would probably make that just for me (mine, mine, all mine 🙂 !) .
I would make a mushroom risotto.
I would love to try this recipe as my first attempt at risotto! I love the idea of adding lots of veggies!
My go-to risotto is simple (just portobello mushrooms), but I would love to try your winter squash recipe to mix things up this winter. We eat A LOT of risotto in the winter months. It’s the ultimate comfort food for these chilly evenings. Thank you for the opportunity to win. 🙂
I’d love to make a wild mushroom risotto in this. It’s my absolute favorite for special occasions.
I’ve only made one kind of risotto; mushroom. And we love it! I’d love to try some different recipes. With more veggies I could justify making it more often.
This pot will be useful for so much more than risotto – soup, chili, marinara sauce, etc. It’s such a lovely pot that I would store it in plain sight as part of the kitchen decor.
Wild mushroom risotto.
I have had limited success with boxed risotto but would love to try to incorporate more greens from my CSA into a recipe.
I’d be excited to use Blue Moon Acres’ New Jersey-grown short-grain Maratelli rice in a risotto recipe with this pot! My fave flavorings are mushroom, leek, and/or butternut squash.
I would like to give this pot to my friend who is helping through a major life transition. She loves to cook and has a large vegetable garden, so I am certain she would enjoy your risotto recipe. Thanks
Mushroom risotto with a really nice parmesan over it.
Wild mushroom risotto, my favorite!
I would make something simple, peas and maybe prosciutto. This would be the perfect pot for getting through the winter ahead!
I’ve never made risotto, so I’d make your version!
I think a shrimp and Butternut squash risotto would be wonderful.
Oh my goodness that pot looks AMAZING! I love risotto so this would be a perfect addition to my kitchen. I have a butternut squash and mushroom risotto recipe that would be the first (but not the last) thing to make in this pot!
I’ve actually never made risotto, so I think I’d start with a basic version.
Lemon risotto definitely.
Deb
i would even try to make rissotto in that pot
Caramelized onion and wild mushroom risotto
We lived in Italy for 2 years and came to love Seafood Risotto. Now I make Mushroom and Winter Squash Risotto as a special meal treat. It is a favorite food at our house and would love to have a special “pot” to cook it in. Thank you.
Mushroom Risotto with carmelized onions
Mushroom risotto is always a favorite, but I would love to try a winter squash risotto with kale this winter!
I’ve just made my first risotto earlier this week, a savory winter kale and mushroom with herbs risotto. I would make it again in a flash with the beautiful Lagostina pan. Having a nice wide bottomed pan is a plus when reducing liquids while simmering.
I’d make lemon and pea risotto.
would like to try your winter squash risotto in this wonderful Lagostina Risotto Pot and then use this pot to make my parmesan spinach risotto. this looks like a wonderful pot to have. thank you!
Dairy-free yet delicious risottos!
My risotto has turned into a way of using up leftovers…..a family favorite is to start with basic risotto to which chopped spinach, roasted squash/carrots/beets (have tried Brussels sprouts….didn’t go over that well) and at the very end, cooked chicken has been added. A wonderful one pot meal that is satisfying, as well as helpful with the little bits of leftovers.
I love butternut squash and roasted mushroom risotto.
The wild chanterelles are coming up under my oak trees and they would be perfect in a wild mushroom risotto….mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 🙂
OMGosh…what a beautiful pot. I almost cried when I saw it and then when I saw the price, I really did cry. Most likely I would do a kale and butternut squash recipe. I have butternut squash from my garden waiting to be used.
Something with spinach. My covered row is usually bursting with spinach this time of year. And most likely some goat cheese because I love it so much.
I would love to make a chard and feta risotto in that pot. It’s so beautiful!
I love risotto and make it all the time. Asparagus/prosciutto is great but I love to play with it and add different things each time. I just tried one that uses tomatoes and water instead of broth and it was delicious.
This looks great. I would love to make this dish.
Mushroom risotto…..a favorite.
Risotto with lemon, chard and shredded chicken. So.Damned.Good!
My go-to is mushroom risotto. But I think I’d use this pot for many things. Karen Jeane just above mentioned roasted beet risotto – that sounds amazing. I bet it’s gorgeous, too.
Small batches of jam!
What a beautiful pot! I would use it to make a winter squash risotto as you suggest- I have a lot of delicata and butternut squash from my garden that need to be used up.
risotto with kale, turnips, sweet potato, and apples
I’d make your recipe, or roasted beet risotto, which is the only kind I’ve made before. Thanks for the giveaway!
I have always been wary of making risotto for fear of burning it. This pot will surely tempt me to give it a try.
What a wonderful pot and recipe. We make a lot of risotto at our house. I like the Golden Delicious variety of winter squash. It makes a better “pumpkin pie” than actual pumpkin and is more colorful, etc. Would be very good in risotto, etc. thank you.
Jackie
We make all sorts of risotto, but my all time favorite is mushroom, shiitake unless wild mushrooms are available. Yum!
leak,lemon and anchovies ! What a lovely pot !
I found a recipe for Champagne Risotto from Giada di Laurentiis that I love to make!! I’ve learned it also impresses guests mightily when you tell them you’re serving them this dish! Asparagus and prosciutto make this a hearty risotto that can be served as a main course… 🙂 Can’t wait to try your winter squash version!
love, love, love seafood risotto
This risotto pot is deluxe! In my kitchen there would be a risotto bonanza with a favorite for every season. A spicy winter squash risotto would be the first if I would be lucky winner.
I have a recipe for risotto that calls for pear, prosciutto and fried sage leaves that I’d like to try. I have to be honest though, I prefer my risotto for dessert and would most often use this pot by adding milk, cardamom, saffron, almond and vanilla to my arborio rice…AKA rice pudding!
I would use the pot to make my favorite risotto – butternut squash & sage.
My husband loves making risotto (and I love eating it)! The Winter Squash Risotto with Leeks & Greens would be perfect to make in that wonderful pot. Would love to surprise him with it!