risotto...whatever way you like it

Ok dear reader...I could do nothing but blog a different risotto recipe from now until the day I die, and most likely never repeat myself. There are an infinite number of recipes for risotto all using a myriad of ingredients in all sorts of combinations. The reason is simple. Risotto is not a recipe, it's a technique...and once you get the basic technique down...you can add whatever you want to it and create your own concoctions. Sure there are the basic "classic" recipes...but really it's a no holds barred dish.

That being said, the recipe that follows is my go to variation on the dish based on the fact that it's founded on the ingredients I most commonly have in my possession. I LOVE a good seafood risotto, but I'm not likely to have any clams or mussels on any given weeknight. However, I almost always have sun dried tomatoes and peas. Now, in the summer due to the CSA I'm a part of, I almost always have fresh snow peas, but in the off season frozen peas work just as well...and I can always find a box in my freezer. Here we go...

Risotto

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

3/4 cup Arborio rice

3/4 cup Champagne or dry white wine

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

10 ounce box of frozen peas, thawed

12 sun dried tomatoes steeped in olive oil finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.

In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the Champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the peas, sun dried tomatoes, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

So basically here are the keys to the risotto. First get whatever cooking liquid, most normally a stock of some type, HOT. The hot liquid absorbs better and helps cook the rice evenly. If you're using a firm vegetable, like asparagus or carrots, blanch them in the cooking liquid before you add it to the risotto. Then add at the end as you would any other flavoring agent. Secondly, toasting the rice is key as it opens the rice kernel and preps the grain for maximum absorption and flavor reception. Thirdly, is the champagne/wine step. Basting the grains in some type of bright alcohol is key. The acidity adds a lovely dimension and the alcohol helps break down the tougher compounds of the grains. Finally, patience is a virtue with risotto. It's not a hard dish to make...but it does take time. You've really got to allow the liquid to be absorbed each round before adding more. This is key, cooking the rice to perfection and giving it that lovely creamy finish which the dish is known for. So open a bottle of wine and savor the flavor as you cook...and remember, the wine isn't the only thing getting better with time.

Mangia e statti zitto...

cheers...

dunkin