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.
Asparagus and mushroom risotto. Two of my favorite foods!
Mushroom and lobster for the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve!
Mushroom and scallions.
I don’t know yet what kind of risotto I’d make, because I’ve never made risotto! I see it on the cooking competition shows all the time and it has piqued my interest, so I’d like to try it.
I have no idea what kind as I’ve never made risotto.
My Mother made it once but she didn’t follow the directions and it was horrible. (I think she burnt it.) We ended up having to throw it away.
I guess I would start with the easiest, most basic recipe there is.
But if I could find one that had butter, garlic and shrimp, it would be that one.
Roasted butternut squash and wild mushrooms – and this post inspires me to add spinach!
Champagne risotto with scallops!
Ooh, probably mushroom risotto!
I would also make a mushroom risotto, but now I’m thinking about what vegetables could be added, too!
What a beautiful pot! I’d make Mushroom and parm risotto with asparagus in the spring
Morel mushroom risotto, made with porcini broth!
Spring pea risotto!
Roasted cinnamon carrots and olives. Mmm
I love a butternut squash risotto, with mushrooms to start. this is gorgeous!
butternut squash and bacon risotto fore sure! great pot!
I’ve never made risotto so I’d probably stick to something pretty basic!
I really, really want this pot for my favorite lemon risotto!
My first with the pot would be a nice parmesan risotto, I would follow up with a wild mushroom, a shrimp, and something with a roast butternut squash overtones.
Now I’m hungry!
Beautiful pan! I haven’t made risotto too often. Mushroom and kale sounds like a good combo!
Mushroom
My favorite – Risotto Milanese. Everything goes better with saffron. Your squash risotto looks delicious though
Mushroom, pea and leeks!
I never made a risotto before, I love to try a lemon, herb one.
Mushroom risotto
Greens from the garden and parmesan.
mushroom risotto!
I have never made risotto before, so I would use this pot to make my first ever risotto!
I would make Butternut squash and mushroom Risotto in this beautiful pot!
Deborah Madison’s Beet Risotto–it’s gorgeous and I made it for Valentine’s Day every year.
I love making butternut squash risotto! MMMmmm!
Milanese -djs
I would probably make plain risotto. But knowing me, I would add some pesto and go from there. Glorious experimentation!!
Citrus Shrimp Risotto
I make a standard cheese based risotto that my family and friends love.
Parmesan and pea
I’d make a mushroom risotto, but I like your idea of adding greens to it.
I would love to make a Bacon & mushroom risotto. I love everything with bacon!
Probably something involving spinach and shrimp.
I would try pumpkin risotto
I like risotto with spicy cajun sausage.
I would love to make a mushroom and spinach risotto. I think yours sounds lovely too; I’d give it a go as well.
We don’t care much for risotto, but it would be lovely for a nice winter’s braise.
I absolutely love risotto and yours looks delicious. My favorite would have to be mushroom risotto. Whenever I’m dining out and I find it on the menu I have to have it. I’ve only made risotto a couple times at home, but I’m going to put it on my to do list for 2016. I really love it and it’s a shame I haven’t eaten it more often. Happy holidays!
mushroom and goat cheese, roasted veggies and parm, champagne risotto, the list could go on and on
I would make a delicious cheese risotto, it’s my go-to fall/winter risotto! I typically use a super sharp cheddar cheese but since we just moved to chester county I would use one of the cheeses from Birchrun Hills Farm around the corner. Yum!
My favorite risotto has to be leek and peas. It’s simple but I love it.
This pot is gorgeous! I would try your winter squash and leek risotto, first, and blossom out from there.
I’ve never made risotto but I am excited to start this new adventure!
I would make the classic, plain risotto but I can’t wait to try your version. It sounds delicious and healthy. And what a beautiful pot!
Saffron and Fennel Risotto!
A new recipe I have been wanting to try and trying it in a new pot would be fantastic!
I really like the idea of including a lot of vegetables to a risotto recipe. I have an athletic teenage daughter who loves carbs/hates vegetables. It’s a constant challenge to serve healthy, nutrient-packed meals that also satisfy her taste buds. She would never eat spinach salad or steamed carrots. But, risotto is such a delicious comfort-food, I can add those same puréed or finely chopped vegetables to create a flavorful dishes she loves.