Oh. My. Goodness. Risotto is an absolute "Top 5 Favorite Naughty Food" list staple. It is creamy, starchy, and a completely blank culinary canvas to put whatever flavors you like into it. I have experimented with a few so far.....lemon herb roasted chicken with a smidge of goat cheese worked into it at the end (suuuper yum).....slow braised oxtail with my homemade beef bone stock and really good parmigiano reggiano, a splash of heavy cream and fresh cracked pepper.....and this mushroom and asparagus risotto was my latest idea.
The rundown: Asparagus sliced thinly on the bias, sliced Cremini mushrooms, finely diced shallot, and garlic. Not a thing wrong with what's going on here, y'all....Yum!
Risotto is made with Arborio rice, which is a short grain and starchy rice that when cooked down slowly with stock and aromatics make a delicious sort of savory and creamy rice porridge that is heavenly and really one of my favorite things to have anytime, anywhere, anyway I can get it!
The Basics:
Garlic and Shallot (or Onion). I used 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped with salt into a paste and a small shallot diced. You don't want to caramelize the shallot and garlic, just saute them in equal parts (1.5 tbsp-ish) buttuh and EVOO over medium low until shallots are almost transparent.
Arborio Rice. I needed 1.5 cups dry for 4 servings. This goes into the saute pan once shallots and garlic are sauteed to above specs.
Wine. I usually use whatever I have on hand, and I have found that white will not cause any funky color at the end. (Although what isn't better with the addition of some good Cab Sav?!) I used Chardonnay here, around 1/2 cup, in after the Arborio has had time to toast a bit.
Stock. This makes a difference in the finished product, and if you take the time to make your own (I do) it allows you the opportunity to impart that much more richness and flavor into your finished risotto. Seafood, Turkey, Chicken, or Beef.....the sky is the limit.....but you'll need approximately 4.5-5 cups....and it needs to be warm. Once the wine has had a few minutes to cook out the alcohol, begin adding your stock into the saute pan. I add about 2 ladelfuls at a time, and start the stirring......have I mentioned it's pretty necessary? The rice needs to cook to a nice porridgy/puddingy kind of consistency, and the texture of the rice should be just past al dente.
Cheese. I have to insist you use good cheese.....not JUST in risotto, but IN LIFE. I used 1/2 cup-ish once the risotto has reached the aforementioned porridgy/puddingy/just past al dente texture. Taste and season your food here....before you serve it to your friends and family!
Love and Patience. Risotto is one of those dishes that you have to babysit. Adding ladleful after ladleful of stock and stirring patiently. It takes awhile to cook down the rice. Like 45 minutes of ladling and stirring.....stirring and ladling. It is a process borne of respect and love for the product, and so worth the amazing finished product!
- Enjoy! Risotto is a super diverse starch option that is really a HUGE upgrade from potatoes, and every time you make it, it will get better and better. Practice makes perfect, so get to practicing!
