There are many different types of risotto recipes depending on the other ingredients: vegetables, sausage, liver, mushrooms, etc. But as an answer to the question “How do you make risotto?”, there is one basic risotto recipe they all share. You can apply these basic rules to any type of risotto, adding the ingredients of your choice at the end. If it’s your first time making risotto, read this article first: Secrets of making perfect risotto.
How To Serve Risotto?
Serve your risotto hot, right after it is done. As time passes, the rice soaks up the liquid and it won’t be the same. To make it even better, sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and add a little olive oil if you like.
Risotto is a starter (primi piatti) in Italy, similarly to pasta. Portions are small, and there is a main dish, usually meat, to follow. I think Italians must be the only ones with this unique meal order, as in most countries pasta or risotto are great main dishes in their own right.
There is one exception to that, however, when risotto happens to be the main dish in Italy. It is then usually served as some sort of garnish. For example, risotto flavored with saffron (risotto alla milanese) is frequently served with another typical Italian meat dish, ossobuco, which also comes from Milan and is made with veal shank.
How To Make Risotto
Ingredients
- 2½ cups risotto rice 500 g, types Arborio, Vialone Nano, and Roma all work
- 6 cups chicken stock 1.5 liters
- 1 onion medium-sized
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 7 tbsp butter 100 g
- ⅔ cup dry white wine 150-160 ml
- 75 g Parmesan cheese grated, about 3 tablespoons
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat the chicken or vegetable stock. It should be almost boiling by the time you start cooking the rice.
- While your stock is heating, finely chop the onion and garlic. Melt half of the butter with the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion. Cook for a few minutes. The onion shouldn’t brown; it should only turn nicely translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the rice. Stir it thoroughly; the grains should be coated in the oil-butter-onion mixture. Sauté the rice over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. The grains should have translucent edges while still being white in the middle.
- Add the wine and stir once. Cook over medium heat and let the liquid evaporate.
- The rice should be cooked over medium-low to medium heat, and the stock should be kept close to boiling; otherwise, it cools down the rice. Cooking risotto requires your full attention. The steps described below have to be repeated until the rice is done. The exact cooking time is indicated on the package, usually 16–18 minutes.
- Pour 1 to 1½ ladles (that is, 1/3 to 1/2 cup or 100–150 ml) of the hot stock over the rice.
- With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the rice so the liquid covers it evenly. Let the rice cook for about a minute, stirring occasionally. The very essence of real Italian risotto is adding the stock little by little, then letting it evaporate. Usually, it takes 1 to 1½ minutes for the stock to evaporate, depending on the size of your saucepan and the heat. When all the liquid has evaporated, start the process all over again by pouring more hot stock over the rice.
- In between rounds, grate the Parmesan and cut up the other ingredients of your choice: vegetables, mushrooms, sausage, etc.
- About two minutes before the rice is ready, add your other ingredients to the risotto. Stir and add a little more broth. The result should be creamy and saucy, resembling a rich, dense, somewhat overcooked soup. To get an idea, check out my last picture: rice in a creamy, thick sauce with porcini mushrooms.
- Just before it’s done, add the grated Parmesan and stir. Cook for about 30 seconds, then take it off the heat. According to the Italians, rice has to be al dente, just like pasta. It should not be overcooked. Add the remaining butter and cover it. Let it stand for 2 minutes, until the butter melts. If it’s too thick, just add a little more stock.
