Basic Risotto

Name: Basic Risotto
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 T butter; 1 cup onion, small dice (approx 1/2 medium onion); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp salt; 1 cup short grain rice. You can use Arborio, Carnarolli or even sushi rice; 0.5 c white wine or vermouth; 3-3.5 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or even water if you are using dried mushrooms in your risotto); 2 T butter; 0.5 c grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese (optional)

Janice Mansfield @cook_6033575

Victoria, BC, Canada

Risotto is one of those basic dishes that is great to have in your back pocket for quick dinners, and using up leftovers. Once you have the basic technique mastered, you can make it as fancy or as casual as you like.

TIPS: The basic ratio for risotto is 1 part uncooked rice to 3.5 parts liquid. This will include your stock, wine and any additional liquid you are using. Keep an additional 0.5 parts liquid in reserve, as various rices absorb slightly different amounts of liquid.

Most risotto recipes call for wine and stock as the liquid, but you can also make "stock" on the fly with dried mushrooms and aromatics such as carrots and celery, added at the beginning of the process with the onions.

A little fat added at the end in the form of butter and/or a bit of grated hard cheese will really help give a creamy finish to your risotto.

Janice Mansfield @cook_6033575

Victoria, BC, Canada

A little fat added at the end in the form of butter and/or a bit of grated hard cheese will really help give a creamy finish to your risotto.

Saved

Ingredients

4 servings

2 Tbutter
1 cuponion, small dice (approx 1/2 medium onion)
3 clovesgarlic, minced
1 tspsalt
1 cupshort grain rice. You can use Arborio, Carnarolli or even sushi rice
0.5 cwhite wine or vermouth
3-3.5 cupschicken or vegetable stock (or even water if you are using dried mushrooms in your risotto)
2 Tbutter
0.5 cgrated Parmesan or Asiago cheese (optional)

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Steps

1

Heat the butter until foaming over medium heat, in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven
2

Add the onion and 1/2 tsp salt, and saute until just translucent (blonde).
3

Add the garlic, and saute another 1 minute until just aromatic. If you are using other aromatics, add them now.
4

Add the rice, and continue sauteeing until the rice grains are coated with the butter, and look translucent.
5

Add the wine or vermouth. Let it come to a simmer and cook until the wine is evaporated. The add 1 cup of hot stock and the other 1/2 tsp salt.
6

Simmer, stirring every few minutes while it cooks. Keep adding stock in 1/2 cup increments, replenishing it as the stock is absorbed by the rice. The heat should be just high enough to keep the liquid at a constant simmer.
7

Check the rice for doneness once you have added 3 cups of stock. If it is still underdone in the centre, add one final 1/2 cup stock.
8

When the rice is just cooked through, remove the risotto from the heat. Taste and adjust the salt and any seasonings, if needed. Add final 2 T butter and optional cheese, stir in until melted and nice and creamy. Texture should be creamy and thick enough to mound up slightly, but not stiff.
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