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I won’t tell you about the first time I ever tried risotto. I won’t tell you that it was in Los Angeles in the early nineties, and I won’t tell you that the girl I was with when I ate it was carrying on in a New York accent that she should have been a detective because she’d always had a knack for finding things. And she was born and bred in Los Angeles! I sat there in the restaurant, eating this unbelievably delicious creation I’d never heard about—this “risotto” that was a special on the menu that day—and she was all “My friends ohhhlways tohhld me I shoulda beena detective. I’ve ohhhlways been able to foynd things when no one else coo-uhd.”
I was so puzzled about the accent. It was almost like she’d been possessed. Possessed by Al Pacino or Robert Deniro…or both. And I’ve never, ever been able to solve the mystery.
But that didn’t stop risotto from invading my soul that day.
I love risotto so much.
It’s a grain. It’s a rice. But it acts like pasta. Sort of. Cooking it is an experience. Cooking it is an art form…but an art form anyone can achieve. Risotto is beautiful, pure, perfect.
Risotto is what I made last night.
Bring 8 cups chicken broth to a rolling simmer. It needs to be warm and ready.
Two red bell peppers.
Lop off the tops.
Gut them.
Cut them into strips.
And dice them up. Not tiny…but not chunky at all.
Peel a medium onion, cut it in half from root to tip, and dice it up finely.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven.
When it’s warm, throw in the onions.
Stir them around and cook ’em for 2 to 3 minutes over medium to medium-low heat, until they’re beginning to turn translucent.
Then throw in the diced red peppers.
Stir them around…
And sprinkle in some kosher salt. Cook the red peppers over medium low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now pour in 1 3/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice. Ten years ago, it was hard to find Arborio ’round these parts except in a specialty food store. But now it’s widely available.
Except in my small town. It hasn’t made it here yet.
Now, just stir the rice around with the onions and peppers, coating it in olive oil and cooking for a minute or two.
Grab a bottle of dry white wine.
And pour some right in! This’ll give the risotto a nice, yummy flavor.
I love cooking with wine. It’s a hobby of mine.
Did you know cooking with wine decreases the need for salt in cooking?
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Okay. Now. This is how you make risotto. You gradually add in ladles of hot broth, stirring after each addition until the rice has absorbed the liquid. You repeat this process until the rice is done.
Making risotto is such a fun experience.
To begin, add enough broth to almost cover the rice—about a cup and a half or so.
Stir it around until the liquid is fully absorbed…
Then add in another cup or so of broth.
Stir it around gently while the rice absorbs the liquid…
And when the liquid is all absorbed…
Add in more!
You repeat this process for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is done but still has a nice bite.
And when it IS done, I stir in a little more liquid at the end, so it won’t be sticky.
Stir it around, then turn off the heat.
Then grab some cheese. This is what you get when your cowboy husband offers to go to the store for you when he’s passing through the big city and you say, “Ooooh, ooooh! I’d love some goat cheese, Honey!”
But see, that’s MY fault. “Goat Cheese” refers to any cheese made from goat’s milk. If I wanted to specifically describe the soft goat cheese I wanted, I should have said, “Chevre.”
But here’s the thing! Goat cheese tastes like goat cheese, no matter what form it takes.
So I grated up about 3/4 cup and threw it in.
I also added 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, just to give it a familiar tang.
Then I stirred it all together, checking seasonings when I was all done. I sprinkled in just a little black pepper. Not too much, though.
And that’s it! Perfect, creamy risotto. This is perfect with roasted chicken, grilled seafood…or with a huge green salad and a glass of wine.
Oh, yum.
But I’ll show you a little trick.
Have you met Turmeric?
It’s a yummy, aromatic spice with a deep yellow color. Sort of like a poor man’s saffron.
Try this: before you mix in the cheese at the end, add a half a teaspoon or so to the risotto. Stir it together, then add in the cheese.
And look what you wind up with!
What a gorgeous, gorgeous color.
And it adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the dish without overpowering it. It’s a nice little touch.
Make risotto this weekend. It’s fun to make with friends—just gather ’round the pot and take turns adding broth and stirring. And add in whatever combination of vegetables, herbs, or cheese that you like.
It’s really, really delicious.
(Note: For Le Creuset winners, see previous post.)
