Secrets
Revealed: How to Make Great Risotto
This article originally appeared in the April 2002 issue of Log & Timber Style magazine.
Patience is a virtue, my grandmother always said, but these days when it comes to cooking, we prefer
to cook things fast. Fussy dishes that require a lot of special tools and skills, the proper amount of humidity in the air
and so forth, have fallen out of favor. That may be why the idea of making risotto, the creamy rice dish served in so many
trendy restaurants, can seem a little intimidating. We’ve heard rumors that it’s difficult to make and that there’s
a trick to transforming the rice into the creamy concoction. But one of the first secrets of making risotto is this: although some imagine that it falls in the Recipe Challenge Meter somewhere between
Pheasant Under Glass and soufflés, it actually belongs somewhere between chocolate milk and oatmeal.
Later in this article, you’ll learn the special trick to making great risotto. Well, heck,
let’s just reveal it right now; the trick is stirring. That’s right, it requires about twenty minutes of
stirring. So, if you are somewhat skilled with making a circular motion with a spoon, you’re already on your way to
risotto success. In fact, with skills like those I can confidently predict that your first batch of risotto will be sensational.
Risotto is traditionally made from Arborio rice, a pearly-looking, round,
fat, Italian white rice that is available in specialty stores and larger grocery stores. Examine the grain before you
cook it and you’ll be able to see the soluble starch that is released during cooking.
In its raw form, a clear outer hull surrounds an opaque center grain. After cooking, the rice will look much like normal rice.
The starch around the hull will have broken down while you are doing all that stirring, giving the risotto its distinctive
richness and creaminess.
The basic steps of risotto-making are these:
- Sauté the rice in a mixture of olive oil and butter, coating every kernel.
- Add broth a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is al dente, tender on the outside and slightly firm in the center.
- Add a little melted butter and grated Parmesan cheese, stir once again, and serve.
Easy, isn’t it? The basic risotto recipe makes a fine side dish with a roasted chicken or a
steak, but it can easily be jazzed up with a variety of ingredients to turn it into a main course. A green salad, a crusty
loaf of Italian bread and a nice glass of wine will round out the meal. The following recipes will get you started, and in
no time you’ll be concocting secret risotto recipes of your own.
Basic Risotto
This basic recipe emphasizes
the rich starchiness of the rice, and it’s a wonderful side dish with roasted chicken or a grilled steak. It’s
best made with homemade chicken stock, and I’ve included my favorite recipe since it’s such a key flavoring element.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons extra virgin
olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
5 cups Homemade Chicken Stock
(recipe follows) or canned chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
Heat the butter and olive
oil in a large saucepan over a medium flame. Add the onion and sauté for five minutes until the onion is softened but not
browned. Add the rice and cook for three minutes, stirring so that each grain of rice is coated with the butter/oil mixture.
Add the white wine and continue to cook until most of the wine evaporates. Add one cup of the chicken stock and stir with
a fork until it is absorbed by the rice. Continue to add the chicken stock about ½ cup at a time and stir the mixture until
all of the stock has been added and absorbed by the rice. This will take 25 to 30 minutes. The rice should be creamy and have
a nice texture. Stir in the additional butter and stir with a fork until melted. Add the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
4-6 servings.
Homemade Chicken Stock
You may find that this chicken stock becomes your secret ingredient in many recipes. Its rich flavor
makes a noticeable difference in gravies, sauces, soups and stews, not to mention risotto.
1 4-pound chicken,
or 4 pounds chicken pieces and bones, rinsed
3 quarts of
water
2 onions, chopped
coarsely (skins reserved, if desired; see note below)
1 turnip, quartered
3 carrots,
peeled and sliced in ½-inch slices
3 stalks celery,
cut in half
2 cloves garlic,
peeled and halved
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Put the chicken
in a large stockpot. Cover with the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30
minutes, skimming the foam from the surface every 10 minutes.
Add the vegetables.(Note:
to give the stock a lovely golden tint, throw the onion skins in with the vegetables.) Add the remaining ingredients and simmer,
uncovered, for 2 hours, occasionally skimming foam.
Strain the stock and allow
it to cool before refrigerating. Discard the chicken and vegetables. Pour the stock in a container and refrigerate it until
it is cold. Remove the fat from the surface before using. Makes 2 quarts.
Lemon-Asparagus Risotto
For an easy variation
of basic risotto that tastes of springtime, prepare the basic recipe as directed, but add 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon zest when
you add the rice to the butter/oil mixture. Steam one pound of fresh, trimmed asparagus spears and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Stir the asparagus into the cooked risotto, just before the addition of the extra butter and Parmesan cheese.
Seafood Risotto
The flavor of this
risotto is best if it’s prepared with a simple fish stock to compliment the tastes of the fresh seafood.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin
olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups Homemade Fish Stock
(recipe follows) or bottled clam juice
4 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
6 mussels
6 clams
6 large shrimp, peeled
6 large sea scallops
½ pound red snapper, cut
into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
Heat the butter and olive
oil in a large saucepan over a medium flame. Add the onion and sauté for five minutes until the onion is softened but not
browned. Add the rice and cook for three minutes, stirring so that each grain of rice is coated with the butter/oil mixture.
Add the white wine and continue to cook until most of the wine evaporates. Add one cup of the fish stock and stir with a fork
until it is absorbed by the rice. Continue to add the fish stock and water, about ½ cup at a time, stirring the mixture and
allowing the stock to be absorbed before adding the next batch. Continue this process until all of the stock has been added
and nearly all of it has been absorbed by the rice, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the seafood and cook about five minutes more
until the liquid is absorbed and the seafood is just cooked through (seafood should be opaque and slightly firm). Remove the
pan from heat. Stir in the additional butter and stir with a fork until melted. Add the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
4-6 servings.
Easy Fish Stock
1 pound fish trimmings
1 sliced onion
1 celery stalk, roughly
chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly
chopped
½ bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups water
½ cup dry white wine
Simmer the ingredients
over medium heat for one hour. Cool and strain.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
Mild risotto with earthy
wild mushrooms is an irresistible combination. Wild mushrooms are increasingly sold at larger supermarkets and specialty stores,
but if they’re not available you can substitute 3/4 pound of sliced button mushrooms.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons extra virgin
olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and finely
chopped
½ cup
fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
½ cup fresh chanterelle mushrooms,
sliced
½ cup fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
5 cups Homemade Chicken Stock
or canned chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
parsley
Heat the butter and olive
oil in a large saucepan over a medium flame. Add the shallots and sauté for three minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for
three minutes. Add the rice and cook for three minutes, stirring so that each
grain of rice is coated with the butter/oil mixture. Add the white wine and continue to cook until most of the wine evaporates.
Add one cup of the chicken stock and stir with a fork until it is absorbed by the rice. Continue to add the chicken stock
and stir the mixture until all of the stock has been added and absorbed by the rice, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the additional
butter and stir with a fork until melted. Add the Parmesan cheese, garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
4-6 servings.
(Sidebar)
Add-in ideas for basic
risotto:
Crumbled bacon
Chopped chives
Fresh minced herbs
Diced ham or proscuitto
Minced scallions
Cooked baby shrimp
Blanched chopped broccoli
Chopped fresh tomato and
fresh basil leaves
Caramelized onions
Chopped fresh parsley
Julienned strips of red bell
pepper
A drizzle of pesto sauce
Chopped steamed artichoke
hearts
Fresh shelled green peas,
briefly steamed
Chopped roasted garlic
Sliced black olives
