Risotto with Blueberries

Method

1. Prepare a simple vegetable broth: combine 70 g celery, 70 g carrot, and 70 g onion in 1.5 L cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Add 10 g salt, then turn off the heat and keep the broth warm.
2. Dry-toast the rice: place 350 g of risotto rice (Vialone Nano or Carnaroli) in a pan without any fat. Heat to 50–55°C until the grains become lighter in color and smell like bread. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add the large chopped onion first, then a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and immediately a ladle of the hot broth. Add 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens and becomes glazed.
4. Add the toasted rice to the onion, increase the heat, and let the rice absorb all the remaining liquid from the pan.
5. Pour in a glass (about 150 ml) of a full-bodied red wine (e.g., Barbera) and let it evaporate completely, stirring constantly.
6. Add half of the blueberries (about 100 g) to the rice. These will dissolve during cooking and color the risotto.
7. Begin cooking the risotto by adding two to three ladles of hot broth at a time. Stir every 30 seconds and add more broth as it is absorbed. Cook until the minimum time indicated on the rice package (typically 14–18 minutes).
8. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add the remaining blueberries, a pinch of dried thyme (or fresh thyme at the very end), and some black pepper. Stir gently.
9. When the rice is al dente, turn off the heat. Add 100 g mixed mountain cheeses (fontina, bitto, casera, montasio), 40 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and 20 g butter. Stir vigorously to create a creamy emulsion (mantecatura). If the risotto is too thick, add a splash of broth.
10. Cover the pan and let it rest for 1 minute.
11. Serve the risotto in bowls, spooning the creamy rice. Optionally top with a few fresh blueberries and a sprinkle of fresh thyme.