Risotto is an Italian rice-based dish that is prepared with broth. It has a delicious taste and a creamy texture. The vegetable risotto is one of the most popular and appreciated, together with the mushroom risotto and the seafood risotto, but it is a very versatile dish that can be prepared with a large number of different ingredients. If you want to learn how to prepare it like a real cook, follow the steps in this guide.
Ingrediants
Vegetable Risotto
- 1 small white onion
- 1 and a half cups of Arborio rice
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon of saffron
- 1/4 cup of Parmesan
- 1/4 cup of green beans
- 1/4 cup of peas
- 1/4 cup of Mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons of Butter
- 1 tablespoon of Dill
- Salt to taste.
- Pepper as needed.
Mushroom risotto
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 packet of Risotto rice
- 1 cup of sliced champignons
- Half a stick of butter
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 jar of Cream of Mushroom Cream
- 1 jar of Cream of Onion Cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- Salt to taste.
- Pepper as needed.
Seafood risotto
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 230 ml of clam juice
- 2 teaspoons of Butter
- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- 1/2 cup of raw Arborio rice
- 1/8 teaspoon of saffron powder
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 113 grams of medium shrimp
- 113 grams of Scallops
- 2 tablespoons of whipped cream
- 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Vegetable Risotto
Step 1. Stir-fry a white onion with two tablespoons of butter over medium heat
Use a pan with a diameter of about 30 centimeters. Sauté the onion, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until it becomes transparent.
Step 2. Pour 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice into the pan
Stir the rice to mix it with the onion. Toast the rice for a couple of minutes to absorb the flavor of the onion.
Step 3. Heat 3 cups of chicken stock in another pot over medium heat
When it starts to simmer, add 1/4 teaspoon of saffron.
Step 4. Pour a few ladles of boiling broth over the rice
Keep stirring until the broth is absorbed, then add more. Never stop mixing. This cooking technique is used to obtain the typical creamy consistency of risotto thanks to the combination of the rice starch with the broth. Add about 3/4 of the broth to the rice.
Step 5. Cook the risotto for 15-20 minutes
Then, start tasting the rice to check the cooking. Do not let it overcook: the rice grains should not be soft or crunchy, but al dente.
Step 6. Add the remaining ingredients
Add 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup cooked green beans, 1/4 cup cooked peas, and 1/4 cup cooked portobello mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. The risotto should have a wonderful golden hue and a rich, creamy and fragrant taste.
Step 7. Serve the risotto in a large serving dish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese
Method 2 of 4: Mushroom Risotto
Step 1. Cook a chopped white onion and half a stick of butter in a skillet over medium heat
The onion must fry until it becomes transparent.
Step 2. Add 1 cup of button mushrooms
Skip the mushrooms with the onion. They need to cook together until the onion turns brown.
Step 3. Add 1 packet of risotto rice, 1 tablespoon of onion soup and 1 tablespoon of mushroom cream to the pan
Then, pour half a cup of milk and mix all the ingredients until the milk is absorbed. Turn up the heat (medium-high) and keep stirring.
Step 4. Add more milk to cook the rice
You can pour in a maximum of another half cup of milk, until the risotto is creamy. When ready, do not add any more milk. It must cook for at least 15-20 minutes.
Step 5. Serve the risotto in a serving dish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese (about half a cup)
Method 3 of 4: Risotto alla Pescatora
Step 1. Prepare the broth
Simmer 2 cups of chicken stock with 230ml of clam juice. It shouldn't boil, but leave it warm over low heat.
Step 2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat
Step 3. Add 1/4 cup chopped shallot to the pan
Let the shallot cook for a couple of minutes until softened, stirring often.
Step 4. Add half a cup of raw Arborio rice and 1/8 of saffron powder
Stir for 30 seconds.
Step 5. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
Stir for 15 seconds.
Step 6. Pour half a cup of broth into the pan
Let the ingredients cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Keep stirring.
Step 7. Add half a cup of broth at a time
The rice has to absorb it all. It will take about 18-20 minutes to cook.
Step 8. Add half a cup of halved cherry tomatoes
Let them cook for a minute.
Step 9. Add the seafood to the pot
Add 113 g of medium shrimp and 113 g of scallops to the rice. Let them cook for 4 minutes or until ready, continuing to stir.
Step 10. Remove the pot from the heat
If you prefer, add 2 tablespoons of whipped cream.
Step 11. Serve the risotto with 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
It is perfect as a first course.
Method 4 of 4: Other Variations
Step 1. Pumpkin risotto
Serve it on its own, or accompany the dish with chicken or beef.
Step 2. Tomato risotto
It is a tasty and substantial dish that does not need any accompaniment.
Step 3. Vegetarian risotto
It is prepared with many types of vegetables, such as zucchini, peas and squash.
Step 4. Risotto with artichokes
If you love artichokes, this tasty dish is perfect for you!
Advice
- To prepare the "pumpkin risotto" you have to peel the yellow pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut it into small pieces; put the squash in a pan with the onion, as shown in the first step, then season with 1/4 teaspoon of ground or freshly grated nutmeg and about half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon; toss everything in the pan and add the rice only when the pumpkin has softened. A few pieces of pumpkin will melt completely, giving the risotto an excellent creamy consistency, a sweet and rich taste as well as a splendid golden or orange color. Don't use saffron.
- For the "spring risotto" do not use saffron. Add a cup of mixed vegetables (diced zucchini, peas, asparagus and chopped artichokes). When cooked, season the risotto with a little chopped fresh basil, a little grated lemon peel or pour a little fresh lemon juice.
- Do not rinse the rice before cooking, otherwise you will lose all the starch that is essential for the preparation of the risotto.
- To enrich the risotto use Parmigiano Reggiano, or Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano which are less expensive.
- Do not use saffron in mushroom risotto. While cooking the rice, sauté some wild mushrooms with butter in a different skillet over medium heat until they turn brown. Evaporate all liquids. When the risotto is ready, add these mushrooms and mix everything together with 1/4 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme. If you have truffle, you can grate it on the risotto or add some truffle oil after cooking. In some shops you can even find superfine rice flavored with truffles.
- You don't have to use arborio rice: any type of superfine rice, such as Vialone Nano, will do just fine, because it has the right consistency for risottos and a high starch content essential to make risotto creamy.
- For best results, do not use saffron powder, but toast the saffron stigmas in a pan for a minute before chopping and adding to the broth. It is preferable to avoid powdered saffron because it is often mixed with less noble spices, such as turmeric or safflower.
- There is another variant typical of northern Italy: the Milanese risotto. It is usually served together with osso buco. You can use this recipe as a base for making different types of risotto.
- Try substituting half a cup of broth or a full cup with dry white wine for a more distinctive flavor. Use good quality wine. Never cook with a wine you would not drink.
- Don't be afraid to add another knob of butter after cooking. It is an indispensable traditional step for the "creaming" that makes the risotto rich and delicious!
