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Okay, so I know that I posted a recipe inspired by an anime last month, but I have to do it again.  In fact, this apple risotto is yet another recipe that came from the same anime (Shokegeki no Soma), which the protagonist makes in a breakfast-themed cooking duel against his father.  Although he loses the match to his father’s ramen bowl, the risotto definitely left a bigger impression.  The protagonist does it the “long and painful” way, AKA on the stovetop, but I was determined to make this in my Instant Pot.  “Work smarter, not harder”, right!?

I made this for my friends recently, and didn’t have very high hopes.  Sweet and savory is typically not my jam, but I figured that apple risotto with bacon was basically just a fancy take on pork chops and applesauce.  Boy, did this blow my expectations out of the water!  Such a rich, creamy treat doesn’t deserve to be reserved just for breakfast.  The sweet and savory tones in the components of the dish seem to strike a perfect balance, so it doesn’t taste like a dessert that is trying to be an entree or vice versa.  Best of all, making it in a pressure cooker makes it so much easier to make!

Start by gathering all of your ingredients.  Melt the butter in the liner of the pressure cooker on the Saute/Browning setting, then saute your onions in the butter.  When they are softened, add the rice and stir until the rice is coated in the melted butter.  Cook the rice/onion mixture until the rice becomes fragrant and starts to change color, then add some white wine and continue to cook until the rice has absorbed the wine.  Next, add the apple juice and your broth/stock of choice, then season with salt and pepper.  Cover, seal, and cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 6-7 minutes.  While the risotto is pressure-cooking, prep your apples.  Peel, core, and dice them, then toss them with the juice of a lemon.  When the pressure cooker timer goes off, release the pressure manually, then stir in your apples.  Last, stir in your mascarpone cheese and continue to stir until all of the cheese has melted into the risotto.

Serve your risotto with some slices of crispy bacon, which adds a salty punch to counterpoint the sweet undertones of the apple in the risotto.  You can also sprinkle on some parmesan cheese, if you’d like.

Risotto is usually best eaten fresh.  However, if you MUST reheat it, you can add a little bit of water before warming it in the microwave to keep it from getting too dry.

Pressure Cooker Apple Risotto

Ingredients

• 2 Apples (I used Golden Delicious)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 3 cups of unfiltered apple juice
• 3 cups chicken broth or stock
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 oz mascarpone cheese
• grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1lb thick cut bacon
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook the bacon according to your preferred cooking method (I use the oven).  Set aside.

Set pressure cooker to Saute/Browning setting. When hot, add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, and stir to coat.  Continue cooking, stirring, until the rice starts to turn fragrant.

Add the wine and continue to stir until the wine is absorbed.  Add the apple juice and chicken broth/stock, then season with salt and pepper to taste..  Cover, seal, and cook on High Pressure for 6-7 minutes.  Meanwhile, peel, core, and dice your apples.  Toss them in a bowl with the lemon juice, and set aside.

When the pressure cooker timer goes off, release the pressure manually.  Stir in the apples, and then mascarpone cheese.  Continue to stir until the mascarpone cheese has fully melted and the apple risotto is creamy.  Serve immediately with a side of cooked bacon and topped with grated Parmesan cheese (if desired).

Makes about 6 servings