Sunday, February 5, 2012

"Risotto"

I call this dish risotto. I use arborio rice and I stir it a whole bunch. I think it is pretty easy to make. According to the hours of cooking TV I've watched, "real" risotto is nearly impossible to make. Maybe you can't believe everything you see on TV. Maybe I'm not really making risotto. Either way this tastes really good and you should try to make it sometime.

To make you need:

1 cup arborio rice
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 clove garlic minced
3 tablespoons butter (regular or for added yummy-ness use part herb butter)
1/2 cup white wine (you can use red but then your rice will be pinkish-purple)
3-4 cups warm broth or stock
grated parmesan cheese to taste
salt and pepper to taste



Get yourself a beer or glass of wine, a snack and your phone. You are going to be stirring for the next 20-30 minutes, so be prepared. I liked New Holland The Poet Oatmeal Stout.


  • Pour broth/stock into a small sauce pan and set over medium low heat.
  • In a medium pot with rounded sides (saucier) melt butter over medium heat. I used 1/2 plain butter and 1/2 herb butter.

  • Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent but not browned.
  • Add rice and cook until slightly translucent and well coated with butter.



  • Add wine and stir until wine is absorbed. Turn heat up a little to medium high.
  • Once wine is absorbed, start adding broth one ladleful at a time while stirring. 
  • Did I mention stirring? Keep stirring!
  • Once you are able to see the bottom of the pot for a few seconds in between stirs it is time to add more broth. Sort of like the picture below which was really hard to take with my phone while I was stirring. 
  • The further you go in the risotto process, the more starch you coax out of the rice and the more likely it is that your "risotto" will stick to the pan -- so keep stirring!
  • After about 10 minutes of adding and stirring, taste the rice to check for doneness. You want it to have a little chew but not be crunchy and stick in your teeth.
  • By about 15-20 minutes you should be close. The rice should be slightly runny since it will thicken as it cools. 

  • Grate in parmesan cheese (you can use cheddar or whatever you have on hand) as much or as little as you want.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • I covered the risotto with a lid and set it aside off the heat while Mark cooked the rest of dinner for me.
We had "risotto" with Salmon Glazed with Honey and Mustard. Mark made the salmon and not only was it beautiful, it tasted amazing! I was hungry and dug in before remembering that I wanted to post a picture. Sorry if that's gross. 

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