I always enjoyed eating risotto when eating out, but at home…? It just seemed so complicated adding things in slowly, waiting, watching. (Honestly, patience is not a virtue I possess.) It took a little cooking class in France to show me just how easy it is. Even yesterday, I found myself defending the fat little rice to a friend who expressed the same fear.
I now have made risotto several times and no matter how much I try I cannot seem to wreck it. I have found only two simple rules:
1. add liquid a little at a time, and
2. if you are using wine, do so at the beginning (not sure why, but it does make a difference).
Besides following those two rules, you are free to play with bell peppers, spinach, exotic mushrooms, lobster, crab, shrimp or a combination of all the above. You can decide if parmesan cheese or heavy cream better fits your pallet. It really does not matter, because it all tastes great.
This is how I made our Gluten Free Risotto Dinner last night:
Sautéed 1½ small, finely chopped onion in butter with some salt.
Stirred in 1½ cups arborio rice. Heated for a minute or two.
Opened a nice dry chardonnay and poured in about a glass full (1 cup), continued to sip on the rest.
After the liquid was absorbed, stirred in chicken broth about 1 cup. Repeated the sipping and adding chicken broth until almost tender.
Added 1 package fresh, chopped spinach, plus more chicken broth.
Once liquid was absorbed, added a combination of roughly chopped baby bella, shitake and oyster mushrooms, plus more chicken broth.
When the risotto was completely tender, I mixed in shredded parmesan cheese.
Served with scallops sautéed in butter and asparagus.
YUM!
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