Forgot to buy aborio rice

[Snowy Love]

How bad would it be to use long grain instead of aborio to make risotto? Its only for DH , DS & I, so no social embarrassment but it'd be edible right?
TIA

[Roryrory]

It doesn't work anywhere near as well (I ahve actually had complete failures). I would just cook the rice a la normal then add whatever filling/topping you would put in a risotto once it is almost ready. Maybe stir in some cream to make it "seem" like risotto?

[Snowy Love]

Thanks Rory! I think I'll make a sauce of what I normally put in. (Can't do the cream bit - don't have any of that either)

[Bloom]

Malikil,
Don't panic too much! My hubby and I used to use long grain rice instead of arborio becuase it was a lot cheaper (we were super frugal as we were both students living off the government but wanted to save up to go overseas!). Sure it's not as good, but still edible.

I would cook your rice as normal and then stir through your risotto flavourings and maybe some stock or canned soup or even packet soup made up to make it saucy - just like RoryRory suggested.

And just to make your dinner sound delish - we used to use long grain rice cooked and mixed with 1 pack of Homebrand Spring Vegetable Soup and 1 cup of water. Top with chilli sauce AND (if we were going all out) cheese. That meal cost about $1.20 for two.

[RhiChiChi]

My Nonna (Italian for Grandmother) never uses abborio rice for risotto, always long grain - go figure?

[Willow]

This is very interesting, I didn't think it would work. We've been trying to cut down our grocery bill so have been shopping at Aldi. There range has improved a lot since we last shopped there but they still don't sell aborio rice.

I might give it a go tomorrow night with long grain.

[Nicambhar]

Willow, Aldi have the Jasmine rice and it works a treat in risotto. Cost under $2 for 1kg packet.

[Willow]

Ooh thanks for that Nicambhar!!

I will grab some next time. I didn't know you could use Jasmine for risotto either - the things you learn on BB!!

[Roryrory]

When you use normal long grain in risotto does it still abosorb the liquid like arborio? When I had a disaster I was making a baked risotto - maybe that's why it didn't work?

[Astrid]

I have used long grain once and it turned out fine. Thought I read somewhere that it was an ok substitute, but I am not sure where. All you can do is try it and see if it works for you.

[Willow]

Well I used long grain tonight to make my sweet potato and bacon risotto - it turned out fine! Probably not quite as good as the aborio, but it was certainly good enough that I wouldn't make a special trip to the supermarket for aborio if I had long grain at home.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out.