Need some suggestions on Risotto.?!

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Use Italian short-grain rice varieties such as Aroborio, Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano, and Baldo (Arborio is the most commonly found short-grain rice). Short-grain rice has a high starch content and tends to absorb less liquid, resulting in a stickier, more compact risotto.

Cooking the rice in hot butter or oil before adding liquid helps the rice to absorb the liquids slowly without becoming soggy. This is called "Toasting the Rice." Toasting the rice quickly heats up the grain's exterior (toast until the rice is hot to the touch and the color should remain pearly white, not turn brown

Cooking Liquid (Broth, Stock and/or Water):
The quantity of liquid suggested in the recipes is always approximate. In actual cooking, you should be prepared to use more, or sometimes less, as the risotto itself requires.

All the flavors that the cooking liquid starts out with become more concentrated and intense as it evaporates. Bearing that in mind, when the recipe requires broth, you will use a fine, mild beef or chicken broth. It is always better to use homemade broth or stock, but if you don't have the time (like most of us), don't worry! Swanson's Organic Chicken and Beef broths are great for making risotto.

It is important to add hot stock, not cold, to the rice during the cooking process. Adding cold broth to hot rice results in a hard, uncooked kernel in the center of the grain.

Have broth ready, at a low simmer in a covered saucepan before beginning to make your risotto.

Add approximately 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup, at the beginning, and decreasing the amount to 1/2 to 1/4 cup toward the end of the cooking process. Adding too much broth at the end can result in overcooked risotto. Keep the broth simmering slowly while you add it to the rice. This helps maintain a constant cooking temperature.

Run your wooden spoon across the bottom of the pot to determine when each addition of broth is almost completely absorbed.

When cooking with broth, if you have used up the broth before the rice is fully cooked, continue with simmering water.

Water is the best choice for seafood risotto. Liquids that come from the ingredients in the flavor base should be retained, such as the juices released by clams or mussels.

The water used to reconstitute dried mushrooms, and the vegetable flavored liquid left from the preliminary blanching of asparagus and other greens can also be used.

Wines:
Wine may be added, but it must not be the sole liquid used. Wines should always be a drinkable quality.

Cooking the Risotto:
Begin tasting the rice about 14 to 16 minutes after the first cup of broth is added.

Cook the rice until it is "al dente," or the tooth still finds a little bit of resistance when it bites in when you chew. It shouldn't be rock hard in the center and mushy on the outside.

The total amount of cooking time may vary within 2 to 3 minutes. Perfectly cooked risotto should not be hard and stick to the serving spoon, nor should it be so liquid that it runs off your plate. The texture should be supple and fluid, with a creamy, slightly soupy consistency, but with body.

Vegetables, Seafoods and/or Meats:
Add any vegetables, seafood, or meat, which cook quickly, when the risotto is only a few minutes away from al dente.

The last, essential step, when butter or olive oil and Parmesan cheese are vigorously stirred into the risotto, take it off the heat & add. This step binds the ingredients together, giving it that desirable creaminess

http://www.theepicentre.com/tip/risotto.…

Risotto is easy with the proper rice. Arborio rice is available in regular groceries. The only other necessity is the constant stirring and reduction of liquid. That is what makes the creamy sauce. You can get recipes everywhere including the container the rice comes in. You only think it is difficult because it's hard to cook it consistently all night in a professional restaurant kitchen. It has to be done over and over as it doesn't keep. At home it is a snap.

I have made risotto several times in the past week for the first time. Easy, if you don't mind standing at the stove and stirring! And it is all about the rice. I don't think you can make it with regular rice. The proportions were 1 cup of rice to 5 cups of liquid. I bought a small package of risotto at the health food store and it has made 10 servings. Look at your grocery store for the rice, not the 'mix'. I saw some of that at my grocery - very expensive and served 4. All I added to the type I bought was 1/2 cup of white wine, the water, some butter, some Parmesan cheese. Delicious.

See here for a basic risotto recipe http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.p… and add extra ingredients is desired. You must have hot stock and add it slowly using a ladle in stirring. It needs to be creamy.

Made this many times