HOW TO MAKE RISOTTO
Risotto is not a difficult dish to make, but certain rules must be followed to make a risotto worth its name. I have seen wanna-be risottoes consisting of a lumpy, dry mass of rice, topped with some pepper and sliced ham. This is not the way to prepare this dish that is supposed to be moist, runny and full of flavor, as well as have a nice body/texture. So, without any further introduction, let us go through the steps of making a delicious risotto, flavored after
your desires.
Remember that risotto should be creamy, yet the rice grains should still have some bite in them. What happens during risotto making is that the cooking liquid is added in small portions, until the rice have absorbed enough so it is cooked but still remains a little bity. At the same time, during the cooking, the rice is stirred constantly so that the starch that becomes released from rice becomes well mixed with the other ingredients and makes the risotto creamy. It is also important not only to stir the rice, but to heat it moderately and allow for the sufficient release of starch from the rice grains.
Another point to bear in mind: you cannot make a risotto with any type of rice. At least, the finished dish will not have the same quality as a risotto is
expected to have. Traditionally, risotto is made from Italian-cultivated medium-grain round rice, the most popular being Arborio. This rice (Arborio)
becomes very soft when it's cooked and that's how most people like risotto to be. But also other sorts of rice are available, for example the more bity
Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano. Nowadays, at least one of these rice types should be easy to find in well-sorted supermarkets, and they don't cost much more
than a "usual" rice.
To cook rice, normally some stock is used, and it should be of a good quality, since the rice will absorb it. In some cases, we can also throw in some wine
to the risotto. The stock should be very hot when added to the rice, which is already on a hot pan. The wine can be added either before the stock or after
the rice has cooked (wine doesn't need to be pre-heated, since the volume added is relatively small, but if you wish you can mix wine and stock and heat
them up as one liquid that you add to the rice).
Besides rice and flavorful liquid we also need some other aromatic ingredients that will contribute to the taste of the risotto. Simple sautéed vegetables
can be used, as onion, leeks, carrots, celery; or even some mushrooms. Whatever your choice, you should slice them thinly and sauté them so they "sweat",
which essentially means that they should release their aromatic juices into the oil. Some herbs might also be added, for example rosemary or thyme. Then,
the rice is added. Besides these aromatic base ingredients, you may also like to add some "bulk" ingredient, like mushrooms, meat, seafood, or other
vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, peas). Varieties of risotto are many, and you can shape the dish after your personal preferences.
At the end of cooking the risotto, we usually add some flavorful cheese to the dish. Parmesan or Gorgonzola, or Romano are good choices, and they should be
added to the rice at the very end to obtain the best flavor. For a smooth, velvety texture, a knob of butter can be thrown into the risotto as well, also at
the end of cooking.
So, let's recap and also go more into the different steps of making the risotto. First, sauté the vegetables in oil until they sweat. Once the vegetables
are sweaty, parch the rice in the oil for a few minutes so it absorbs the oil and becomes more clear. If you wish, you can add some wine at this point as
well but make sure it'll be fairly absorbed by the rice. Then, start the cooking process by adding simmering stock in small portions while stirring
continuously. When one portion of liquid becomes absorbed by the rice, add another portion, and so on. Usually, it takes 2-3 parts liquid to 1 part rice to
reach the creamy texture, but don't go by mere numbers - look at the rice and the overall body of the dish. Bity rice should still have some white long
starchy line in the middle of the grains, and the texture of the risotto should be creamy. It should take about 20 minutes to get to this point. When it's
done, remove from heat and quickly stir in the butter and cheese and let them melt by the residual heat (or put the pan on low heat if necessary). If you
wish, you can add some herbs and of course, freshly ground pepper - the aromatics that are too volatile to be added early in the cooking process. Now, the
risotto is ready to be served!