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Hey girls... Talk to me about risotto! I have looked at recipe sites and have seen that supposedly you have to add the stock to the rice 1 ladle at a time. Just wondering is there an easier way? Im making dd's dinners tonight and just don't want to be consumed with that lol when I can be doing a few things at once kwim? I wanted to make her a chicken one..
It's EASY as! Yeah you have to add the stock gradually but you don't have to stand there all day. I'm pretty slack with doing it slowly...and it still works lol.
Make a practice one when you have a bit more time, then you will get a better idea.
Do you have a rice cooker at all? I cook risottto in the rice cooker all the time!
Turn the RC to "cook" and put in a little oil and some chopped onion, stir to brown. Then add your aborio rice and cook in the oil, DO stir that, very important! Then I add all the stock and put on the lid and leave it alone more-or-less until the cooker goes "bing"!
Oh it's easy once you know how...you are meant to ladel in the hot stock a couple at a time and stir until absorbed, this is what makes it nice and creamy. I do like Kazbah's way of using the rice cooker, never tried it that way myself.
2 cups of aborio to 8 cups of warm stock (I put it in a pan and leave it on a low heat while cooking the risotto).
Make sure you use a non stick fry pan or pan. Add whatever you like with regards to meat & veg.
I start my risotto: Fry off onion till translucent, add garlic and quickly cook then add rice. Cook the rice till its slightly translucent with a white pearl in the middle of the grain. Add half a cup of white wine, once absorbed slowly add your stock ladle at a time, making sure its all absorbed each time.
Other tips:
Once all the stock is absorbed stir in a drizzle of truffle oil, put the lid on take it off the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Then turn the heat back on and drizzle with cream for an extra creamy risotto, stir it in with some fresh parmesan then serve (have extra parmesan on the table).
Some flavours I like:
Chicken, Bacon, Mushroom, Pea/asparagus/baby spinach and cream/marscapone
Chorizo, Chicken, Mushroom, Fresh tomato, baby spinach
Milanese
Duck Confit, Asparagus, Truffles
Ummmm lots of others with seafood too...
Oh and don't use a square dish, electric frypan or a hotplate that is smaller than your pan, as you need consistent heat (when you start adding the stock, cook it on a medium heat).
I ladle warm stock bit by bit as well... as I just think it tastes so much better.
One of the cooking show last week, had a baked risotto which was just all put in an oven proof container and in the oven.. no constant stiring or adding stock. I havent tried it, but if you check out the taste website, and do a search for baked risotto you might find something on there.
LOL! I spent about 20min earlier today looking up chicken and mushroom rissotto recipes. I am a rissotto virgin too but ove it so much! I am going to give it a go on the weekend.
Yeah baked risotto is yummy too, not as creamy but risotto doesn't have to be creamy everytime.
Like the others have said, make sure your stock is warm before you add it.
So glad someone finally mentioned this on MasterChef the other night - dont stir your risotto - agitate it by shaking the pan ;) Much nicer result.
Add a knob of butter at the very end before serving
Risotto is easy as! Good Luck!
The oven baked one is VERY easy for when you don't have time to stir or stand near the stove.
In an ovenproof dish that can go on the stove heat a tbs oil and heat. Add 2 cups of aborio rice and stir until coated. Add 4 cups (I add a little more) stock and bring to the boil. Cover and bake in 180 degree oven for 20 minutes. You can stir at 15 minutes and add vegetables if you like of cook some into it - really, anything you like. When cooked you can add butter or parmesan if you like (or cream depending on the dish).
As with all risottos, you can add different ingredients to make the dish whatever you like. Onion can be lightly cooked in the oil before adding the rice (as can mushies) or you can add cooked chicken etc at the end. Limited only by your imagination and tastebuds :D
I do the warm stock by the ladle full way as I do find it to be the best way.
I have also done it in the slow cooker. It comes out fine, not very creamy but still nice.