How to Cook Perfect Risotto

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 1.5 cup Arborio rice
  • 6 oz white wine or dry vermouth
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat stock in a small sauce pan to a simmer.

In a large heavy bottom saute pan, heat pan to medium heat. Add olive oil and onion to the saute pan. Sweat the onion until translucent (about 5 minutes).

Add the rice and stir occasionally until the rice is well coated in oil. Gently saute the rice and onions until the rice is translucent and slightly brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce until the wine is almost fully absorbed.

Once the wine is almost absorbed, add 1/2 cup of hot stock and mix to combine. Stir occasionally. Let the mixture simmer until the wine is almost fully absorbed again. Repeat this procedure using progressively smaller amounts of stock until all of the stock has been used.

Ideally, once all of the stock has been added, the risotto should be perfectly cooked al dente. If the risotto is not fully cooked, water may be heated and used to continue the cooking process.

Total cooking time should be between 18-22 minutes. Once the risotto is cooked, mix in the cheese and butter. Adjust seasoning to taste. If the risotto is too dry, add hot water a few tablespoons at a time to reach desired consistency.

Discussion

Risotto is more like a process than an actual dish so it takes practice. It took me a handful of attempts before i was satisfied with the texture of the dish. If you cook it too slowly, then the outside gets mushy and gummy before the inside is done. I suppose it would be possible to cook it on too high a heat, however, that has yet to be a problem for me.

Risotto is a great canvas for different flavors. Get crazy with your ‘mix ins’ by tossing in things you have lying around in your fridge. I am going to try a spring vegetable risotto with peas, carrots, summer squash, and zucchini next. I have also made a gorgonzola and caramelized onion risotto which my wife really enjoyed.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • gorgonzola and caramelized onions
  • lobster and saffron
  • wild mushrooms (classic)
  • grilled asparagus
  • butternut squash
  • peas
  • roasted garlic

The Arborio rice tends to be expensive when you buy it in the mega-mart. I have found that you can buy 5 lbs bags for about $2/lbs in bulk at Tochi Products which will make you a LOT of risotto.

I like to use vermouth instead of white wine for my risotto otherwise it would take me a lifetime of dry martinis to get to the bottom of even the smallest bottle of vermouth.

Risotto is a great weeknight meal because it is fairly fast to cook and requires minimal prep work and dish duty.

April 8, 2009   Posted in: Cooking Techniques

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