Risotto



INGREDIENTS:

400 gr. risotto rice (plump, medium grain rice
that contains a lot of starch, the types Arborio
or Carnaroli are traditionally best)

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 glass of dry white wine

some butter, around 25 grams
(a good rich butter is best)

about a liter of stock/broth

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make sure your stock is simmering before you begin.
It's important that the temparature is as high as possible,
without letting the stock boil. The surface of the stock
should just be moving a little. A large thick pot is best
for the risotto.

2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté them very gently
(without letting them brown) in some butter (you can use olive
oil, but butter is preferred). This is known as a soffritto in
Italy.

3. Add the rice and let it sauté until it has a transparent
look (this shouldn't take long). Add some salt and pepper.

4. Add the wine. A hot pan will help burn out the alcohol more
quickly (and create a nice dramatic effect), but make sure you
don't burn the rice or the soffritto.

5. As the wine cooks away you will see the remaining liquid getting
thicker as it's absorbing the starch from the rice. When its more or
less gone, add some stock. Do not add to much stock, the rice should
never be submerged in stock. Keep stirring it and keep adding more
stock as it cooks away. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Taste to see if the rice is done. The rice should be soft, but
have enough bite to it to feel the individual grains of rice. The
choice between a liquidy risotto or a firmer one is a matter of
personal preference.

7. When put on a plate, it should spread out slowly, if it sits still
it needs some more stock, if there's liquid coming from the risotto,
it needs to cook down a bit more.

8. When it's done, stir in the butter in small cunks at the time,
taste to get the amount of butter right. Season with more salt and
pepper to taste.

9. Let it sit for a minute, and then serve immediately. Risotto won't
keep beyond the meal, but rehydrating it with some soup or stock can
yield edible results.



Risotto