I need the How to's and a good recipe for Risotto....Anyone ?!


Question:

I need the How to's and a good recipe for Risotto....Anyone ?

I would like to attempt to make a Risotto.....If possible, please provide a Method and a recipe that I could try.....I know it is not an easy task, but my family will live through it, I am sure.


Answers:

Ingredients
400 g. risotto rice (plump, medium grain rice that contains a lot of starch, the types Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano are traditionally best)
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 glass of dry white wine
some butter, around 25 grams (a good rich butter is best)
about a liter of stock/broth, but it's a good idea to have more than you need (as the amount needed is difficult to predict). What type of stock depends on the flavour you're trying to achieve, but since the flavour of the stock will become the main flavour of the dish, good stock is a wise investment. Canned is better than cubes or powder, home-made is usually best. Make sure the stock isn't too strong or too salty, as it will be greatly condensed. Make sure the stock is clear too, or the texture of the risotto will become gritty (The article on stock contains information on clarifying stock).

[edit] Preparation
Make sure your stock is simmering before you begin. It's important that the temperature is as high as possible, without letting the stock boil. The surface of the stock should just be moving a little. A large thick pot is best for the risotto.

Finely chop the onion and garlic and sweat them very gently (cook over medium heat, without letting them brown) in some butter (you can use olive oil, but butter is preferred). This is known as a soffritto in Italy.
Add the rice and cook until it has a transparent look (this shouldn't take long). Add some salt and pepper.
Add the wine. A hot pan will help burn out the alcohol more quickly (and create a nice dramatic effect), but make sure you don't burn the rice or the soffritto.
As the wine cooks away you will see the remaining liquid getting thicker as it's absorbing the starch from the rice. When its more or less gone, add some stock. Do not add too much stock, the rice should never be submerged in stock. Keep stirring it and keep adding more stock as it cooks away. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
Taste to see if the rice is done. The rice should be soft, but have enough bite to it to feel the individual grains of rice. The choice between a liquid risotto or a firmer one is a matter of personal preference.
When put on a plate, it should spread out slowly, if it sits still it needs some more stock, if there's liquid coming from the risotto, it needs to cook down a bit more.

When it's done, stir in the butter in small chunks at the time, taste to get the amount of butter right. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Let it sit for a minute, and then serve immediately. Risotto won't keep beyond the meal, but rehydrating it with some soup or stock can yield edible results.




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