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.
I’d love to make butternut squash risotto.
My absolute favorite is risotto with asparagus. But this winter squash and leek one would surely be my new #2 favorite. This pot is beautiful – I can’t wait until I oust my roommates and can invest in nice cookware!
I love to make a farro version of risotto, not quite the same, but very yummy. I use whatever seasonal vegetables after cookinf the farro in wine and broth.
I would make a mushroom risotto from some morels I found and dried in the spring and forgot about until I found them the other day in the back of a cabinet. Check out some videos on you tube at Carluccios (Antonio Carluccio)…he is a well known forager, restaurateur and tv chef from Britain.
Jam Bubba
What a pot to covet. I would make a cheese and mushroom risotto.
my favorite risotto is one my sister makes with caramelized onions, leeks, scallions – any member of that family gets tossed in, and it’s finished with 2 types of cheese (parmesan for sure, not sure what her second one is but I’d love to make it in this pot and find out!)
Mushroom Risotto!
I’ve never made risotto but I’m sure I could find a good recipe to try!
Sage, lemon and pine nuts!!
My favorite is butternut squash risotto, but I haven’t tried it with roasted squash so I’ll have to give that a go.
Roasted mushroom risotto!
The (wishing I was) Italian in me makes risotto a favorite in ourhouse.
Oh yummy! I have some Morel mushrooms (dried now of course) that my neighbor picked this fall that would be lovely in risotto I think…
Wild mushrooms, shallots, thyme, and chestnuts. I’m convinced that risotto is the best way to highlight a special ingredient!
I would make spicy lobster risotto!
Risotto is my daughter’s favorite dish and the thing she always asks me to make on special occasions (birthday and such). I would make classic risotto with parmigiano reggiano.
Asparagus
I love this pot! It looks perfect for risotto and more!
Confession- I have never made risotto! I think I need this pot to try my hand at the dish!
Mmmmmmm… yummy risotto! Can’t get enough of that warm, homey feeling when I tuck into a beautiful dish of mushroom risotto.
The best risotto I have had so far was a seafood version, I’d love to try that.
Definitely a wild mushroom risotto or possibly a lobster risotto. Mmmmmm
I’m a sucker for the pea and Parmesan. Old school, but worth it 🙂
The recipe you posted sounds wonderful! I would love to try it in this beautiful pot!
I like to make risotto with asparagus, shallots, and a little lemon zest in the spring, and wild mushrooms, peas, and thyme in the fall.
I make mushroom risotto often however we bought academic of squash at the Fsrmers Market last month and your recipe sounds great!
My go-to risotto is a chicken and mushroom. Yum!
I’ve never made risotto; I would probably start with a basic cheesy risotto.
Mushroom risotto… it is my favorite
Butternut squash risotto. Yum!
After marrying into an Italian family, I started making mushroom risotto. Will also use fresh asparagus from the garden in the spring.
I’d go with the winter squash risotto!
My favorite risotto is a springtime favorite- lemon risotto with asparagus. DH tells me my risotto creates disappointment at restaurants, as no one makes it like I do 🙂
Mmmm… Sugar Snap Pea Risotto… gives a lovely taste and a wonderful crunchy texture. Yum.
MUSHROOM risotto – my fav and best part – hubby usually makes it!
I think a seafood lemon risoto would be heavenly!
Mushroom risotto! Absolutely gorgeous pot!
Lemon thyme risotto with spinach and round of hungary peppers.
I’ve never made risotto before so I think I would probably stick with a basic recipe to start. Something about the “near-constant” cooking has always given me anxiety, but I’m sure, after a couple trys, I could make a decent one.
i love to make wild mushroom risotto from mushrooms i’ve collected while hiking. chantarelles, black trumpets, chicken of the woods, maitake… lots of great edibles out there if you know where to look (and what to look for).
I’ve never made risotto before, but I love mushroom risotto, which I’m sure would taste great in this pot!
Whoa, that’s beautiful! My first dish in this pot would likely be a sweet and savory risotto with prunes, spinach, and parmesan.
I’ve never made or tried risotto but after reading your post I am anxious to try it!
Risotto is such a lovely dish, I wonder why I don’t make it more often! My favorite is a rich, earthy mushroom risotto, which I’m sure would taste better if cooked in this gorgeous Lagostina risotto pot!
I would love to try your risotta and squash recipe. The WS pot would make it all the merrier!
The Lagostina Risotto Pot looks like a wonderful addition to anyone’s kitchen. I would cook a risotto with fresh peas, cherry heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn and lots of lemon flavor.
Keep up the good work!
Joyce
Lemon risotto. I had some years ago and I still remember it.
I’ve never made a risotto so I am not sure what I would make. But it sure is a pretty pan and I’m sure I could learn to make a delicious one.
Since I can’t eat gluten or grains, I’d certainly try making your recipe with squash, leeks and greens – sounds so good!
mushroom