Risotto – A Beautiful Mess

Risotto is one of those recipes I’ve made many times over the years, and you can actually make it in your sleep. Although it often appears on the menus of high-end restaurants, traditional Italian risotto is actually very easy to make, inexpensive, and, to me, the perfect comfort food. This classic risotto recipe is creamy and cheesy, not too different from my childhood favorite, macaroni and cheese.

You can also make risotto by stirring! This is rice cooked on the stove with stock, wine, cream, and cheese. There are about a million ways to season and spice up this basic dish, but the recipe card below is what I consider the classic, gold standard, if you’re unsure. is where to start. I’ll list some other recipes you can pair this with, but in our house we mostly serve risotto with steak.

Related: If you like this basic recipe, try pumpkin risotto, primavera risotto, stuffed risotto, mushroom risotto, and learn how to bake risotto in the oven.

material

• arborio rice
• chicken stock or chicken soup
• Dry white wine – such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
• unsalted butter – or olive oil
• shallot
• garlic
• salt
• black pepper
• parmesan cheese
• Cream – I mostly use half and half.
• Fresh herbs – thyme, rosemary, chives, etc. (optional)

Instructions

Finely chop the shallots, mince the garlic, grate and prepare the cheese, and have the stock and wine measured and on hand.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Next, add rice and garlic and stir. Cook for a few more minutes until the rice starts to turn translucent.

Add half a cup of liquid (stock and wine) to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring, to coat the rice. When it’s almost gone, add another half a cup. Continue this until all the liquid is used up. Next, remove some rice grains from the pot and test for doneness. You can cook it soft or hard depending on your preference.

When the rice is cooked, add the cheese and fresh cream and mix. If you’re using chopped fresh herbs, you can also toss them here. Stir and once everything is warm, taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Tips and notes

• Arborio rice is the rice used for risotto. Other short-grain rices can also be used, but this method takes longer to cook, may require more or less liquid to fully cook, and does not produce the creamy, small-ball-like effect that is characteristic of risotto. is not obtained.
• Some cooks recommend simmering the broth and wine while keeping them warm. The idea is that the broth and wine can be absorbed into the rice more quickly, reducing cooking time. In my experience, this doesn’t make much of a difference and is a pain to accomplish, so I’ll skip it.
• I like to make risotto in a large (wide) pot or large skillet. This is because it feels like the rice cooks faster, as opposed to a hot pot.
• Try using the wine you want to drink! This recipe doesn’t use the entire bottle, or even anything close to it. So you can serve the leftovers with dinner or buy single servings (small cartons) to reduce waste.
• If you don’t have chicken stock or broth, you can use water and chicken bouillon cubes.
• Easy way to change up the flavor – You can also use beef stock or seafood stock instead of chicken stock or broth. Replace the white wine with a dry red wine. In addition to shallots, use different types of onions, such as red onions and sweet white onions. When serving with carne asada, use a variety of fresh herbs to suit what you plan to serve this with, such as fresh parsley or cilantro. You can replace Parmesan with almost any other cheese, such as Gruyère, sharp cheddar, havarti, or even a soft cheese like brie. I once had a risotto with sour apples and brie cheese at a restaurant, and it was delicious.
• In addition to salt and pepper, you can also add more spices and seasonings, such as oregano, cayenne for heat, turmeric for flavor and color, and saffron.
• Add color and flavor to risotto with cooked vegetables and vegetable purees, such as carrot or butternut squash puree, cooked mushrooms, and vegetables like broccoli.
• To finish, squeeze a little citrus juice, such as lemon juice.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

what to eat with risotto