Rice is nice

Risotto is the Italian word for “little rice,” coming from a country prevalent in pasta, holds its own as some pretty substantial stuff. The dish comes primarily from the north of Italy, where rice patties can grow without the harsher sun of the southern regions, it is perfect Italian-alternate for people with wheat-gluten allergies and even follows ye olde cliché, “It’s not the size that counts, it’s how you use it.” Having just made a batch a couple of days ago, I feel compelled to share…

Basics. When making risotto you MUST use a short grain rice, such as Arborio (probably the most commonly used in the US). Uncle Ben is not welcome, so please don’t invite him. If he comes everyone will feel awkward, and you don’t want that do you? Long-grain Ben doesn’t have enough of the right starches to create that oh so creamy texture. The simplest risotto has broth and some kid of grated cheese like parm or romano. But here’s the way I like to do it…

FRIST: get a tall cool drink of any sort and be prepared to stand at the stove for the entire cooking process. It will make you happier to have a friend to talk with, or if you have no one (aka alone) consider good music or a podcast. You may NOT leave the stove once you have started. Don’t forget to use the restroom first too…

This recipe is for 1 cup of dry risotto, serves maybe 4 people. To start, finely chop (dare I say mince) a shallot. While you, or your beloved, are handling the knifery, gently heat one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a large-ish sauté pan. I think ours is about 12 inches, but I really have no idea. If you are British and don’t know what a tablespoon is, just melt what you think looks good, you cannot go wrong with too much butter. Toss in the dry rice and gently toast till it starts to have a little color. (People say that it should smell nutty, but what does that mean? Nuts? It’s rice, it smells like toasted rice.) About half way through the toasting, maybe 3 min in, add in the chopped shallot. You can also throw in some whole fresh herbs at this point, we use thyme.

Add one cup of white wine and stir. Now here’s the thing. From this point on you can’t stop stirring. You have begun to incorporate the liquid and magical things are happening, if you let the mixture sit…well I have to say I have no idea what happens because I don’t like to waste food that way. But feel free to experiment, and waste your money. After the cup of wine has reduced a little begin to add hot chicken broth or stock one half cup at a time and reduce. Have ready at least 4 cups, it varies how much you will need. Keep stirring, are you stirring? Once you get down to about one cup of liquid left, give a taste test, is the rice still crunchy? Is it bland? If you don’t know how to fix these problems you are a silly duck. Add more broth or salt if needed. Watch the salt content though, we’re gonna add some cheese at the end and cheese’s salty too! Once the rice is perfectly al-dente fish out the herbage, and such. Stir in maybe ¼ cup of Parm, or more. Like butter, cheese is to taste.

Variations, like mushroom risotto, are always fun. With mushrooms though, brown them in the pan first before toasting the rice. Remove them, then add them back in with the liquid. Other veggies, you can add in the last 5 min of cooking, such as peas, diced zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus…sky’s the limit. Or add grilled chicken shredded, or scallops… Try subbing the white for red wine and use beef stock… be daring! And the next time you order risotto while out at dinner, remember the slaving over the stove that had to happen for those little grains of rice.