BVR: Risotto

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Risotto

 

Recipe By : The Best Vegetarian Recipes, by Martha Rose Shulman, p. 165

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Main Dishes, Vegetarian Rice

Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

6 cups vegetable stock or garlic broth -- up to 7

preferably homemade - but in a pinch

use broth made from bouillon cubes

OR canned broth -- (see Note)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

OR extra virgin olive oil

OR 1 tablespoon each

1/2 medium minced onion -- (1/3 to 1/2 cup)

OR 1 small onion

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

2 garlic cloves -- minced (optional)

1/2 cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

1 ounce Parmesan -- grated (1/4 cup,)

 

Risotto, one of the world's great dishes, dispels all misconceptions that

anybody might have about vegetarian cooking (that it is bland, for example,

or ascetic). It tastes rich without necessarily being rich (though some

risottos are). The creamy dish is made with a particular type of rice, the

round starchy Italian Arborio rice that yields up its sauce-thickening

starch as it slowly cooks, while retaining its chewy texture. Homemade

risotto is better than any risotto I have ever eaten in a restaurant no

matter how good, because it is a dish that should go from the pan to your

plate immediately.

 

If you are confident about making risotto, you will never lack ideas for

company dazzlers as well as everyday meals. Risottos are a vital part of

my repertoire; virtually any vegetable in season can be used for a

main-dish risotto, and this basic plain version can serve as either a side

dish - say with a vegetable gratin or a soup, such as Carrot and Leek Soup

or Garlic Soup, and green salad - or as a main dish. (See separate recipes.)

 

The stock is important in a risotto, because it seasons the rice as it

cooks. Vegetarian stocks include Garlic Broth and the Easy Vegetable

Stock. For risottos containing mushrooms use the Wild Mushroom

Broth. (See separate recipes.) I will admit that I have also made

perfectly acceptable risottos with good-quality vegetable bouillon; if I

don't have a stock on hand or the time to make one, I don't let that stand

in the way of making the dish. If you are not a vegetarian, chicken stock,

preferably homemade or good-quality canned, is a good choice. A dry white

wine such as Pinot Grigio or Fumé Blanc is the best wine to use. Don't use

Chardonnay, which is too oaky and not dry enough. MAKES 4 GENEROUS SERVINGS

 

1. In a saucepan, bring the stock or broth to a simmer on the stove, with

a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned with

salt. It should remain at a simmer the entire time you are making the

risotto, and you will add it a ladle or two at a time to the rice.

 

2. Heat the butter or oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet over medium

heat. Add the onion, which also seasons the rice, and cook gently until it

is just tender but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

 

3. Stir in the rice and garlic, if using. Traditional risottos call for

more fat than mine, and the rice absorbs it before you add the other

ingredients. In this case, you will stir the rice just until the grains

become separate, which doesn't take very long, 2 to 3 minutes.

 

4. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed, about 3

minutes. The wine is important for flavor, as it adds a delicious acidity

to the dish. The alcohol boils off. The heat should be moderate; the wine

should bubble as soon as you add it to the rice, but it should not boil off

so quickly that the rice doesn't have time to absorb its flavor.

 

5. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladles (about 1/2 cup) at

a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not

too slowly but not too quickly. Stir often; you don't have to stand there

and stir constantly as I used to think we did - you can be preparing the

vegetables you are going to add, or something else - but you do have to

stir often, to keep the grains separate and distribute their starch

throughout the mixture, and also to ascertain when it's time to add the

next portion of stock. The rice will be cooked through but still be chewy

after 20 to 25 minutes of this cooking - adding the stock in increments and

stirring. When the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy it

is done. Taste and correct the seasoning.

 

6. Add another ladle of stock to the rice. Stir in the Parmesan, and

remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy. Add pepper, taste one

last time, and adjust the salt. Stir once and serve right away.

 

Note: If you are using canned broth, you can dilute the broth, using 1 part

broth to 1 part water.

 

Advance preparation: Although the best way to make risotto is to cook it

all the way through and serve immediately, this might not be the most

convenient method if you don't have an open kitchen where you can visit

with family and friends while you're making it. I've taken to cooking

risotto halfway through, then returning it to the heat and finishing it

just before serving, with good results. You can begin up to several hours

before serving: Proceed with the recipe and cook half-way through step 5,

that is, for about 15 minutes. The rice should still be hard when you

remove it from the heat, and there should not be any liquid in the

pan. Spread it in an even layer in the pan and keep it away from the heat

until you resume cooking. About 15 minutes before serving, resume cooking

as instructed. These advance preparation directions apply to all the

risottos that follow.

 

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS OR PEAS: To the above recipe, add 1 1/2 pounds

asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 cups fresh or thawed

frozen peas to the risotto after the first 10 minutes, so that they cook

with the rice for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped

flat-leaf parsley along with the Parmesan and proceed as instructed.

 

RISOTTO WITH GREEN BEANS: I'm not always sure that my green beans will cook

to the right color or texture if I cook them with the risotto, as I do with

peas and asparagus, so I blanch them in the stock, then add them to the

risotto at the end. Bring the stock to a boil and add 1/4 pound green

beans, trimmed and broken in half or into thirds if very long. Cook for 5

to 6 minutes, until just tender, and remove from the stock with a slotted

spoon or deep-fry skimmer. Refresh with cold water. Proceed with the

recipe and add the green beans to the risotto with the final ladle of stock.

 

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