There are a few things I don’t love about Ithaca:
Being far away from our families.
Having to bike uphill whenever we want to leave town for a ride.
Small town = more difficult to find a job.
But there are also lots of things I love about Ithaca:
Living in wine country.
Having lots of waterfalls and parks to hike.
Milder winters than Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The food culture.
That last one is one of the main reasons I was so excited about our move to Ithaca. Our co-op bulk bins are brimming with locally ground flour. Farm-fresh eggs can be purchased for a mere $1.20 a dozen at the Greenstar Co-Op. U-Pick farms abound, allowing me to can and freeze plenty of produce for winter. And when I want some pork, to the Piggery I go. They raise heritage breeds of hogs on pasture instead of in cages, and everything I’ve ever bought from their meat counter has been delicious and flavorful. But my favorite Piggery buy? Their bacon, in all its smoky gloriousness.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon (about 5 slices)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup classic pesto (recipe follows)
Instructions
- In a large kettle or covered pot, bring the stock and water to a simmer.
- In the meantime, cook the bacon until browned and crispy in a large stockpot over medium heat. Using tongs, remove the bacon from the pan.
- Add the onion to the pan and stir to coat with the bacon grease. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown. Add the rice and wine and stir until the is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the water and stock one-half cup at a time, stirring after each addition until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue until the rice is soft and tender. The risotto should be creamy, but not quite soupy. This may not require all 7 cups of liquid.
- Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Add the bacon and pesto to the risotto, stirring until all the risotto is mixed in.
http://www.savvyeat.com/bacon-pesto-risotto/Copyrighted by Julie Grice and Savvy Eats
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon (about 5 slices)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup classic pesto (recipe follows)
Instructions
- In a large kettle or covered pot, bring the stock and water to a simmer.
- In the meantime, cook the bacon until browned and crispy in a large stockpot over medium heat. Using tongs, remove the bacon from the pan.
- Add the onion to the pan and stir to coat with the bacon grease. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown. Add the rice and wine and stir until the is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the water and stock one-half cup at a time, stirring after each addition until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue until the rice is soft and tender. The risotto should be creamy, but not quite soupy. This may not require all 7 cups of liquid.
- Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Add the bacon and pesto to the risotto, stirring until all the risotto is mixed in.
Ingredients
- 3 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 1/2 ounces freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Puree the basil in a food processor until completely shredded. Add the remaining ingredients and process until creamy. Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, or in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.
http://www.savvyeat.com/bacon-pesto-risotto/Copyrighted by Julie Grice and Savvy Eats
Ingredients
- 3 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 1/2 ounces freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Puree the basil in a food processor until completely shredded. Add the remaining ingredients and process until creamy. Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, or in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.
For more risotto recipes, check these out:
- Bacon Brown Rice Risotto
- How to Make the Perfect Risotto
- Pea Andouille Risotto
- Pumpkin Risotto
- Risotto Cakes
Psst. Don’t forget to enter my Joss & Main $100 e-spree giveaway!
What do you love (or not love) about your town?
Oh my woooord. Want!
Great recipe! I love my city because we have some of the best local produce!
Wow, with all your pros for Ithica, it makes me want to visit! And I am definitely on board with this recipe as well!
Using bacon grease as the fat in risotto is awesome. Cooking Light does it in there recipes, so it must be healthy.
I’ll take it!
Yum! I’ve been to Ithaca many times for work, but it’s always been in the winter when I’m convinced there is no other placce more dismal than it! I’d love to see it during the summer/fall when I”m sure it’s beautiful but, man are the winters rough up there!
This sounds SO good Julie!
Mouth watering recipe Julie.
I love that you blog about fitness and eat REAL food
Thank you
Looks really delicious. I must try this one of the days!