Dessert Risotto With Dried Fruit And Nuts

Dessert Risotto With Dried Fruit And Nuts

By Le Creuset  Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
½ cup sliced natural almonds
4 to 5 cups apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
½-inch slice fresh gingerroot
1 small orange, peel and juice
½ tsp salt
2 tablespoon butter
1 cup Arborio rice
½ cup white wine
¾ cup finely diced dried fruits such as apricots, plums, cranberries, cherries and raisins
½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Directions:

Place almonds in Saucier Pan. Cook, tossing occasionally over medium-low heat until lightly toasted 6 to 8 minutes. Pour almonds onto a plate to cool; set aside.

Peel three thin strips from outside of orange. Juice orange; set aside.

Add cider, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, orange peel and salt to Saucier. Cover and heat to boil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into large heat-safe measuring cup.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in Saucier over medium heat. Add rice to butter; cook and stir about 1 minute until rice is opaque.

 Add wine and orange juice; reduce until almost dry, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. 

Add spiced cider in ½-cup additions (leaving cinnamon, cloves, ginger root and orange peel in cup), stirring constantly until rice is tender and sauce is creamy; approximately 20 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in dried fruit and yogurt. Spoon into individual serving bowls/ramekins. Top with toasted almonds; enjoy immediately.