Follow the steps below for a perfect Italian style
risotto.
The ingredients for risotto vary from recipe to recipe but the basic ones are:
4-6 cups HOT vegetable/chicken/pork/beef stock (broth)
3 tbsp butter
1 cup minced onion
2 cups Arborio, Vialone Nano, or Carnaroli rice
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Steps:
1. Heat a heavy duty saucepan on LOW and melt 2 tablespoons butter.
2. Add the minced onions to the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes until the onions
are translucent.
3. Add the rice to cooked onions, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for
approximately 2 minutes. It is important that you do not rinse the rice before
cooking as rinsing will remove the starch that gives risotto its creamy texture.
Frying the rice with the onions means that grains will be coated with
liquid-resistant fats which will prevent them from quickly absorbing the cooking
liquid.
4. Add enough HOT stock to cover the rice. Stir with a wooden spoon. The liquid
must be hot to keep the temperature in the pot constant without interrupting the
cooking process. It acts as a melding agent - by releasing the rice's starch.
5. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, stirring frequently. As liquid evaporates,
add more. The ratio of rice to stock is approximately 1 to 3, but the amount
might vary. The liquid should be added in small amounts, ½ to 1 cup at a time,
until the desired consistency is reached.
6. The rice will roughly double in volume when cooked.
Begin tasting the rice after 15 minutes of cooking. Continue testing until the
texture is al dente.
A properly cooked risotto is creamy (what Italians refer to as "ben mantecato"),
not soupy. The grains of rice should remain "al dente" or slightly resilient to
the bite.
7. When the rice is cooked, stir in the remaining butter and the cheese, remove
from heat and serve immediately.
Serving immediately produces the best results - before the rice absorbs
additional moisture causing a gummy texture.