Gorgonzola and Pear Risotto

Gorgonzola and Red Pear Risotto
based on a recipe from Bon Appetit (December 1997)

1 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP butter
1 shallot, diced
1 cup arborio rice
4 cups (about) canned chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 ripe unpeeled red-skinned pear, halved, cored, diced
2 ounces, shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Bring broth and white wine to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; keep mixture warm.

Heat oil and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and rice and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth/wine mixture to rice. Simmer, stirring often. Mix in sage. Cook until rice is tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy, adding remaining broth mixture 1/4 cupful at a time if risotto is dry. Mix in mushrooms, Gorgonzola and pear. Cook until cheese melts and pear is heated through, about 1 minute.

Notes: I didn't quite get the correct consistency on this one but it was very tasty and will be well worth trying again. With respect to the original recipe, I substituted chicken broth for the vegetable broth and bumped the amount of cheese up for more enriched taste. Also, the mushrooms added a nice texture contrast.