Yeah, we can make Risotto

 

This is one of my favorite dishes ever.  Not because it is delicious (eat it off the floor good).  Not because it is beautiful (look at those colors).  Not even because it combines some of the best flavors ever created (bacon, parmesan, butter).  It's because it is fancy and when I make it I can pretend I am too!!  At least in my neck of the woods, if you tell someone you made risotto they are going to be impressed...then they are going to ask you what risotto is.  I must confess until I started making it myself, my only experience of risotto involved Chef Ramsey calling someone a donkey.  I don't know if mine would pass his test, but it rocks the house around here.


Let's start with the basics...


For any risotto you will need onion, garlic, fat, liquid, cheese and rice.  The onion and garlic are pretty self explanatory, I suppose you could even leave them out...but not in my house!  Your fat will most likely come from butter, but you could use olive oil or bacon grease (oh no she didn't).  You can use most any liquid from water to fresh, homemade chicken stock and never be afraid to deglaze with a little wine.  You could go crazy with the cheese, although I am partial to parmesan (which is not pictured, whoops).  Finally, you need some rice or pasta.  When I stated making risotto I used orzo pasta, because I could not find Arborio rice (the traditional choice for risotto).  Now I have tried them both and I must say the orzo is easier to work with.  It cooks quicker and is more forgiving if it's a little over or under.  However, the starch in the Arborio creates a very creamy risotto, so it is worth a little extra effort.

 
And we cook...
Get your chopped onion and fat working in a large pot over medium heat.  While this is working, bring the liquid to a simmer in a separate pan.  Now, add some garlic and the rice to the onions.  Give it a few minutes for the garlic to cook up a little and the pasta get a bit toasty (think rice-a-roni).  If you're using wine throw in a little now and scrape up all the good bits.  The next step is to add in your heated liquid a ladleful at a time and allow the rice to soak that up before adding more liquid.  Keep your pot at a low simmer and stir, stir, stir (this is how it gets creamy).  Once it is all incorporated, about 20-25 minutes, stir in some grated cheese and if you choose (no peer pressure) a bit more butter.  Voila!!

That's really it, risotto is more technique than recipe.  All you need to know are some ratios.  If you have 1 cup of rice, you will need about 3 cups stock, 2 tablespoons fat, 1/4 cup onion, 2 garlic cloves and 1/4 cup cheese.  You will end up with about 2 1/2 cups of risotto.  The most important thing is to taste as you go.  Have fun mixing it up to fit your tastes and use your favorite ingredients or those that are in season.  Some of my faves:

• Butternut Squash Risotto (pictured):  Start the pan with a few strips of bacon, removing when crispy.  Keep 1 tablespoon of grease and add 1 tablespoon butter to sauté onions.  Meanwhile, roast diced butternut squash in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper.  When I add the cheese, I throw in the squash (sometimes partially pureed) and crumbled bacon. 
• Mushroom:  This one is a classic just add some chopped mushrooms to the onions and proceed as usual.  Some mushroom stock would be a great addition.
• Pepper-Jack Chorizo:  Ok, this one is still in fantasy stage, never really thought to use cheese other than parmesan 'til about half a page ago and now I'm inspired.  I'll let you all know if it happens.
• Also great to throw in at the end:  peas, blanched asparagus, herbs, really anything you like (please leave a comment if you have a combo you love)

Peace and Cheese--B