They don;t turn out as 'creamy' I guess for want of a better description, Bear. Well, not as creamy as maybe I am expecting.
I used to have a risotto cookbook (may still have it in the shed, but I'm pretty sure I discarded it for lack of use) and tried making one or two from that, but I wasn't very happy with the result.
When I make 'risotto' (or should I say 'a dish with rice in it that looks like it could be related to risotto'), its just got onion, butter, rice (whatever is in the cupboard, not even risotto rice ), stock (read: water and stock powder), tin tomatoes, maybe some tomato paste, and herbs. Pretty sure that's it. Soften onion in butter, add rice, stir well to coat, add everything else, stir often on low heat until rice cooked and water absorbed. Add grated cheese (usually tasty, not even parmesan! ) at the end.
When I have tried to make 'proper' risotto (hot stock/liquid, added a bit at a time), it took AGES to cook, and the rice didn't even cook properly with the directed amount of liquid.
It's critical that you use a proper risotto rice like arborio. These have a much higher starch content than other rice varieties and like Bear said, it's the release of starch that gives it the creaminess. The stock should be added a little bit at a time, and stirred continuously, only adding more when the last lot is absorbed. Yes, it should take a while, and I find that risotto usually uses more liquid than directed. Good things take time, and like a proper custard, or good gnocchi, it's worth doing properly.
It also helps to gently fry the rice in the butter or oil until the grains are translucent, then start adding the stock. I usually add a good splash of white wine before the stock and reduce it.
Last edited by suse; August 25th, 2008 at 04:30 PM.
: added something
If you are prepared to stand over it stirring it then you can make it about 20-30 minutes using the traditional method - keep the heat a little higher and keep everything moving around to stop it burning on the bottom of the pan.
A few thoughts to help you make a creamy risotto...
Don't add tomato to it - the acidity in the tomato will stop the starches binding together, if you want tomato in it then leave it to the end of the cooking process.
It's really important to add the stock a bit at a time - the starch is released by all the grains of rice rubbing against one another as you stir it....if there is too much liquid at the start then this doesn't happen, so it doesn't get creamy. You can add the stock in larger quantities as the rice cooks as most of the starch will already be out at that point.
Making a risotto is not an exact science, so don't stick to times and quantities in the recipe too closely...if the rice isn't cooked when the recipe says it should be, then don't worry about it, just keep stirring and adding stock until it is ready - if you add too much stock and the rice is cooked, but the risotto is too wet for your liking then add a handful of grated parmesan and stir it through to pull it back together.
WRT to the stock - even if you won't make your own stock, then think about having a couple of cartons of ready made stock in the back of your cupboard - most supermarkets have a decent selection now, and they taste much better than powders or cubes. Suse's suggestion of adding a spash of white wine at the start is good, it helps develop the initial flavour base that your stock is lacking....also think about adding other veggies to the chopped onion at the start to improve the flavour - finely chopped celery and/or fennel will do wonderful things to the risotto's taste.
It has a bulbous white root that smells a little of aniseed - it's great sliced raw into salads, in risotto, roasted or braised in the oven...all round good veggie that is in season at the moment.
The root usually has 3-4 shoots coming out of it that are topped with leaves, that can be finely chopped and used as a herb - the seeds can also be ground in a mortar and used as a spice.
I cheat and buy roast duck, (as get this) I hate the smell of roast duck don't ask me why, although I think it has something to do with chinatown Duck confit I have a very good supplier but it also is very easy to make yourself, its just time consuming and usually when I get a hankering I want it then and there. Roasting duck is very easy, and if you don't want to do a whole duck, you can just get breast with the skin on and pan fry it (just make sure you do skin side first and do score and season the skin first). It is important IMO to have a crispy skin if doing the risotto I mentioned as there is just something about the taste. When I used to live closer to gourmet produce I used to make a mean 5 spice asian duck breast that we used to have with pommes anna (french style potato gratin) and it was good. But alas I don't have the same wonderful stores closeby and my wonderful son is no way near as easy going as Paris was so unless its the weekend a day in the kitchen is sooooo out of the question LOL!
), stock (read: water and stock powder), tin tomatoes, maybe some tomato paste, and herbs. Pretty sure that's it. Soften onion in butter, add rice, stir well to coat, add everything else, stir often on low heat until rice cooked and water absorbed. Add grated cheese (usually tasty, not even parmesan!
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Duck confit I have a very good supplier but it also is very easy to make yourself, its just time consuming and usually when I get a hankering I want it then and there. Roasting duck is very easy, and if you don't want to do a whole duck, you can just get breast with the skin on and pan fry it (just make sure you do skin side first and do score and season the skin first). It is important IMO to have a crispy skin if doing the risotto I mentioned as there is just something about the taste. When I used to live closer to gourmet produce I used to make a mean 5 spice asian duck breast that we used to have with pommes anna (french style potato gratin) and it was good. But alas I don't have the same wonderful stores closeby and my wonderful son is no way near as easy going as Paris was so unless its the weekend a day in the kitchen is sooooo out of the question LOL!
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