SilverSage
Resident Crone
Risotto is unlike any other rice dish. Instead of letting it steam to keep the grains separate, you cook it and stir it to abrade the outside of the grain. This releases starch which thickens the sauce. The grains should be very creamy, with a slightly al dente center.
This particular recipe uses saffron as the flavoring, but that is optional. You can substitute asiago or romano cheese for the parmesan. Just make sure that it's a good quality cheese, since it it the predominant flavor. This is not the time to take shortcuts and use the green can!
Many people add things like mushrooms or asparagus instead of the saffron. Just make sure you keep the pieces kind of small and cook them before adding them at the end.
Saffron Risotto (Risotto Milanese)
Ingredients
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup carnanoli or arborio rice
1 pinch saffron threads, crumbled
1 cup white wine
2-4 cups chicken stock, hot
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 (more) tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste
Procedure
*Bring stock to a simmer and keep on a back burner until needed.
*Heat butter and oil in a saucepan until the butter foam subsides.
*Add the onion and saute over medium heat until softened. Do not let it brown!
*Add the garlic, and stir until just fragrant, just a minute or two. Don't let it brown- it will make the risotto bitter.
*Add the rice and saffron and stir until all the grains are coated.
*Add the wine, stirring until it's nearly all evaporated and everything has a real creamy, saucy look. The rice will still be crunchy at this point.
*Add your first large ladle (1/2 cup to 1 cup) of stock, and stir frequently until it's mostly absorbed. Just like before, you want a thick, creamy, saucy look.
*Continue adding stock one ladle at a time, and cooking and stirring until each ladle is absorbed before adding the next. There's no real way to tell exactly how much liquid you will need. It depends on the rice, the heat (higher heat will evaporate as much as it absorbs, needing more), the diameter of the pan, the temperature of the stock, the size of the ladle, etc. I find a cup of rice needs about 3 cups of stock plus 1 cup of wine. But that varies from day to day. TRUST YOUR TASTE BUDS!
*When the rice is al dente, yet still creamy, add the cheese, extra butter, and any add-ins. If it firms up too much, add just a little more stock. Remember - creamy is the word.
*Check for seasoning. Cheeses have widely varying salt levels, so it's impossible to say how much salt you'll need. TASTE!
This particular recipe uses saffron as the flavoring, but that is optional. You can substitute asiago or romano cheese for the parmesan. Just make sure that it's a good quality cheese, since it it the predominant flavor. This is not the time to take shortcuts and use the green can!
Many people add things like mushrooms or asparagus instead of the saffron. Just make sure you keep the pieces kind of small and cook them before adding them at the end.
Saffron Risotto (Risotto Milanese)
Ingredients
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup carnanoli or arborio rice
1 pinch saffron threads, crumbled
1 cup white wine
2-4 cups chicken stock, hot
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 (more) tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste
Procedure
*Bring stock to a simmer and keep on a back burner until needed.
*Heat butter and oil in a saucepan until the butter foam subsides.
*Add the onion and saute over medium heat until softened. Do not let it brown!
*Add the garlic, and stir until just fragrant, just a minute or two. Don't let it brown- it will make the risotto bitter.
*Add the rice and saffron and stir until all the grains are coated.
*Add the wine, stirring until it's nearly all evaporated and everything has a real creamy, saucy look. The rice will still be crunchy at this point.
*Add your first large ladle (1/2 cup to 1 cup) of stock, and stir frequently until it's mostly absorbed. Just like before, you want a thick, creamy, saucy look.
*Continue adding stock one ladle at a time, and cooking and stirring until each ladle is absorbed before adding the next. There's no real way to tell exactly how much liquid you will need. It depends on the rice, the heat (higher heat will evaporate as much as it absorbs, needing more), the diameter of the pan, the temperature of the stock, the size of the ladle, etc. I find a cup of rice needs about 3 cups of stock plus 1 cup of wine. But that varies from day to day. TRUST YOUR TASTE BUDS!
*When the rice is al dente, yet still creamy, add the cheese, extra butter, and any add-ins. If it firms up too much, add just a little more stock. Remember - creamy is the word.
*Check for seasoning. Cheeses have widely varying salt levels, so it's impossible to say how much salt you'll need. TASTE!
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