Risotto

Risotto... it's one of things that I find relatively easy to do when I'm not inspired to go to the store. The ingredients are simple, and the basic recipe can be made from things I tend to have in my fridge or pantry.

Not only is it easy, the basic recipe can be adjusted in any number of ways depending on what ingredients you have, or what you want to do with it.

---

Basic Risotto

Serves 2 as a main course, or 4 as a side dish

1.5 cups short grain Rice (I actually like to use Japanese short-grain rice or CalRose because of the texture and starch content, but Arborio and Carnaroli are the traditional rices used)
1 quart Chicken Stock, kept hot in either a pot or thermos
1/2 medium Onion, diced
1 cup white Wine
1/4 cup Heavy Cream or Milk
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mozarella
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
salt and pepper
optional White Truffle Oil
optional 1/4 cup Orzo Pasta


In a saute pan, melt the butter and sweat the onions until translucent. Remove and reserve. Melt some more butter, and saute the rice for 2-3 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Once the rice looks uniformly pearly, add back the onions and stir together. Add in the orzo if using and white wine, and stir over medium heat until it is completely absorbed. Then in small batches, add in the heated chicken stock, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula to break down the starch in the rice, and wiating each time until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid. It should take about 25-30 minuted total until the rice is creamy and soft. The correct consistency should be rich and creamy, with just a hint of a bite left in the rice.

At this point, add in the cream, and remove from the heat. Then in batches, add in the shredded cheeses and then stir until completely incorporated. Taste and then season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like, drizzle a little white truffle oil over it, and enjoy.

---

This is the master recipe. While the base technique is always the same, adding different herbs, vegetables, cheese or meats makes it a completely different dish. One of my favorite ways to work with risotto is to do a wild mushroom risotto.

All you have to do for that is to soak some dried porcini in white wine, saute up a variety of mushrooms in olive oil and some garlic, and then mix into the rice mixture at the point you would add in the white wine. It's delicious.

Another idea is to do an asparagus risotto, with both asparagus chunks and puree. It comes out green, and awesome.

Or add in saffron for a Risotto Milanese to go with your next Osso Bucco.

Your imagination is the limit. You could even try to do a vegan version if you like with soy milk and cheese instead of the dairy.

Happy Cooking!