Risotto

Description

This mushroom risotto is cooked the slow and painful way, but-oh so worth it. Complements grilled meats and chicken dishes very well. Check the rice by biting into it. It should be slightly al dente (or resist slightly to the tooth but not be hard in the center).

Ingredients

• Broth: Homemade chicken broth is always the best choice for flavor, but you can use store-bought chicken broth for convenience. Choose low-sodium broth and adjust the seasonings at the end. Since you'll keep it hot on the stove while you're stirring it into the risotto, you can bump up the flavor of the broth by simmering it with scraps of shallots, chives, and mushroom stems left over from prepping the risotto ingredients. To make this vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth.
• Olive oil: For sautéing the mushrooms and shallots. You won't be cooking at high heat, so it's okay to use extra virgin olive oil.
• Mushrooms: This recipe uses a combination of portobello and white mushrooms. See how to clean mushrooms.
• Shallots: If you don't have shallots, you can substitute finely chopped yellow onion.
• Rice: To get that signature creamy risotto texture, you must use a particular type of short-grain, high-starch rice like Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano that releases its starch as you cook and stir. No other rice will give you the same results.
• Wine: The first liquid you add to the pan after you sauté the rice is a half cup of white wine — it will absorb into every grain and create an essential layer of flavor. Choose wisely. Go for a crisp, dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. If you don't want to use wine, just start with the broth.
• Butter: A generous amount of butter at the end adds more creamy texture and rich flavor.
• Parmesan cheese: You've come this far. Don't shortchange the flavor of your risotto by using anything other than freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• Chives: Chives cut through the richness and add visual appeal, too. If you don't have chives, fresh parsley is a good substitute.

Steps

1. Hot broth: Keep the broth hot the whole way through. Measure out a little more into the broth pot than the recipe says to make up for evaporation as it sits.
2. Toast the rice: An essential step to making risotto is to toast the grains in hot oil until they start to turn translucent around the edges. This could take a couple of minutes. Stir continuously during this process.
3. Stir, stir, stir: Yes, you stir risotto as it simmers. That's what helps release the starch from the grains of rice to make that creamy texture you want. Do you have to stir constantly? No. Stir after each half cup of broth you add to make sure the broth is distributed evenly, then stir again every 30 seconds or so until almost all the broth is absorbed. Add another half cup of broth and repeat. Listen to music. Sip some wine. Good risotto is worth the time it takes.
4. Low and slow: Keep the broth hot and the risotto at a low simmer throughout.
5. The perfect texture: Risotto is done when the rice is al dente: firm but not crunchy when you bite into it. It should not be as dry as steamed rice, but should have enough liquid to make it loose. Add just a touch more broth if needed before stirring in the butter and Parmesan cheese.
6. Serve immediately: Risotto waits for no one. It will continue to cook as it sits even when it's off the heat, so be prepared to dish it up right away.