Prosciutto e Melone & Pesto Risotto
Proscuitto and melon is one of my all-time favorite summer side dishes. Something about cold sweet melon paired with salty proscuitto and herbs is so refreshing. Here we pair it with a simple basil pesto risotto to transform this side into a delicious dinner.
Yield: All recipes serve 2 people
Chef Notes: Any short starchy rice will work well for making risotto! Experiment to find your preferred variety. Arborio or carnaroli rice are the most common for risotto.
Balsamic Glaze can be kept in the fridge for future use for weeks. It’s great on salads or sandwiches.
Pine nuts are traditional in pesto, but can be very expensive. A great substitute is almonds (blanched are preferred, but not necessary).
Components
Melon Slices
Prosciutto
Balsamic Glaze
Chiffonade Basil
Basil Pesto
Risotto Base
Summer Vegetables
Mise
Prepare the Melon by removing the rind, halving the melon to remove the seeds and slicing into cubes or long strips.
Make Balsamic Glaze In a small saucepan, combine:
1 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 T Brown Sugar
Bring to a simmer and reduce until the balsamic glaze is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon: 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Prepare the Pesto: Toast ¼ C pine nuts in a 300°F oven. Allow to cool.
In a food processor or mortar and pestle, pulverize:
2 C Basil Leaves
¼ C Pine Nuts
2 Garlic Cloves
¼ C Olive Oil
2 T Parmesan
Season with salt and pepper and extra oil if necessary.
Prepare the Zucchini: Slice the zucchini into ½” wedges. In a skillet over high heat, sauté the zucchini▸ until charred and tender. Remove from the heat.
Finish
Cook the risotto:
In a deep skillet, sauté 1 C arborio rice until toasted.
Add 4 C chicken/veg stock/water and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and the rice is tender.
Add the basil pesto and stir vigorously to agitate the starches until creamy.
Spread the shaved prosciutto over the melon slices. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Finish with the remaining torn or sliced basil.
Top the risotto with the sautéed zucchini and extra parmesan before serving!