Daily Unadventures in Cooking » Risotto

Crab Risotto

katerina — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:15:34 +0000

Need an idea for Valentine’s Day? A seafood risotto made from homemade shellfish stock and freshly cooked meat is not something everyone gets the opportunity to try. Nominate a special someone in your life and spoil them with this crab risotto recipe.

It may be just one bowl of food, but every part of the recipe you are layering in flavour and love and they will shower it right back at you. Plus, I see this appropriatley pink dish, pairing very well with a nice glass of champagne.

Starting from scratch (where scratch is one very much alive Dungeness crab), all the way to two bowls of a hearty crab risotto, takes a smidge over 2 hours. This is because you need to cook the crab, pick the meat from the shells and then make the crab stock before you can even start on the risotto. That said, once you have the crab and crab stock all ready to go the risotto takes less than 45 minutes so if you would like you can do this over two days. This risotto recipe was created from Dungeness crab, but that isn’t native to everywhere, I am sure it would work with other crabs as well.

Fig and Gorgonzola Risotto Recipe

katerina — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:23:24 +0000

Unless you live in some wonderful and far more tropical place than me, figs are only in season for a very short amount of time. So, run to your farmers market quick and buy them now because they will disappear faster than that last brownie.

This risotto forced us to eat it in almost utter silence. We were entranced. I think someone may have asked to pass the wine?

It is very rich and decadent and would work well served as a first course or as a main. And hey, did you know that figs are oddly high in fiber? See, don’t say I never teach you anything.

Mushroom Risotto Recipe with Toasted Pistachios

katerina — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:02:49 +0000

What is risotto to you?

Is it a dish your grandmother use to make that transports you to a different time?

Or maybe it is just a food you make to use up leftovers in your fridge.

Or maybe for you it is a way to show off your culinary skills to your friends.

Or maybe it is just a comforting and simple thing for you to make and eat when you need a slow evening and a glass of wine.

For me, it can be all of these things, but on this particular day, this risotto was a vessel for a little vial (yes vial) of truffle oil. And what a delectable vessel this mushroom risotto recipe was.

Pancetta and Leek Risotto Recipe

katerina — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:23:58 +0000

Bright spring leeks are now peaking out of the stalls at the farmers markets and caroling at me to use them in a creative way. They are talking about freshness, asking for warm salads and light braises. But sometimes — well all the time really — the body just wants bacon.

Not just any bacon, but pancetta, an Italian cured but smokefree pork belly product and a lovely accompaniment to leeks. The salty cubes of pancetta absolutely make this risotto, and of course you can’t listen to your inner bacon devil everyday, but sometimes you just need to top your food with a little swine.

The soft leeks do get their chance to sing of course. They are a sweet background singer, piping up at the chorus but still allowing the soft rice and salty nuggets to be the rockstars. If you are looking for a more pronounced leek flavor try this caramelized leek risotto recipe.

How to Make Great Risotto

katerina — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 02:01:25 +0000

When people ask me what my favorite thing to cook is, which happens quite often, I generally say risotto. There is something very soothing about stirring a warm pot of rice and nursing it to the perfect soft, creamy texture. Plus, an excuse to open a bottle of wine is never bad.

When we finally got to the subject of risotto in culinary school, I was slightly surprised to discovery I have been making it correctly for all these years, and so here is what I have to share on the topic. With the below method you should be able to make any risotto recipe turn out well.

The General Method for How to Make Risotto:
1. Get yourself two high sided saucepans. In the first put your stock and bring it to a simmer. You want to make sure you are adding hot stock. If it isn’t hot it will cool down the starches in the rice and you won’t get the creaminess desired in a risotto.
2. Chop up the aromatics finely, usually this consists of onion and sometimes garlic. You don’t need very much. For a cup of rice, a few tablespoons of onions is plenty.
3. Sweat the aromatics in a few tablespoons of oil or butter in your second saucepan.
4. Add your rice to the aromatics. You want to toast the rice in the hot fat until it starts to make a popping sound, do stir it regularly to make sure it is cooking evenly.
5. Next add some wine. This will help soften the rice but also add a depth of flavour, cook at a gentle simmer until the wine has almost entirely disappeared.
6. Add stock slowly, you should add just enough to cover the rice, then allow it to gently simmer and absorb into the rice.
7. Stir regularly, but you don’t need to stir it constantly. If you need to do a few dishes or focus on cooking something else you can let it go for short periods of time without stirring it.
8. Continue adding stock until the rice starts to soften when you bite into it, then you can reduce the amount of stock you are adding each time until it is just al dente.
9. Stir in any extra ingredients such as butter, cheese, cooked fish or fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

A few easy risotto recipes to try:
Caramelized Leek Risotto
Squash Risotto with Blue Cheese and Crispy Sage
Fennel Risotto with Goat Cheese
Zucchini and Lemon Risotto

A few more tips:
Use arborio or carnaroli rice, other rices don’t have enough starch to produce a true risotto. However, the risotto method can apply to any grain or even a starchy vegetable if chopped to the right size. Barley produces a nice “risotto”.

When making a squash, mushroom, or any kind of risotto where the primary ingredient is cooked in the rice itself, try and time it so that you add that ingredient at the appropriate time so that it is just cooked when the rice is cooked. You don’t want it too mushy or raw either. Generally I find that it takes about 20 minutes to cook a risotto but try it a few times to get the hang of it.

The correct consistency of the finished risotto is a matter of opinion. Some people like it quite soupy while others like it to be firm. Personally I like it to be quite soft, but as the cook it is easy to tweak it by how much moisture you leave in the risotto before you serve it, just remember it will thicken up a bit when you add the butter and transfer it to a plate.

You can use a variety of stocks, or flavoured liquids to create the base of your risotto. Chicken, beef, or vegetable stock are great choices. In fact I will generally choose a homemade vegetable stock over a box of store bought chicken stock. Make sure that your stock is seasoned as it will season the risotto as it cooks. That said because the liquid will reduce, do be careful you don’t end up with a dish that is way too salty.

One of the big “aha” moments I had when discussing risotto in class was the validation that very rarely is risotto made in a restaurant this way. Generally it is par-cooked to 75%, cooled, and then finished cooking when a customer orders it. By doing it this way it won’t ever be as creamy as when it is made start to finish at once. This explains why risotto is truly something best made at home or by your Nonna.

Any questions?

Roasted Tomato Risotto Recipe

katerina — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:26:09 +0000

As an absolute lover of risotto, and a frequent creator of risotto recipes, I have been eyeing the day on the curriculum when we were making risotto in culinary school. Would the technique be different? Would I unlock a new secret known only to Italian Nonnas and professional chefs?

Nope.

In fact it turns out the way I have been making risotto for years is in fact correct, further proving that making risotto at home is simple and easy. In fact, in most restaurants in North America they actually make risotto partially ahead, resulting in a less-creamy, sub par dish. When an order for risotto comes in, they reheat the partially finished risotto, add more stock and serve it. The only epiphany I head explained why a few years ago I stopped ordering risotto when dining out. It also is one more reason that you should give making risotto a try!

This particular recipe used roasted tomatoes and fresh chives. Don’t make this if you don’t like tomatoes however, it is very richly flavoured with the tomatoes, so much so that it almost gives the sense that tomato paste has been added and is reminiscent of spanish rice.

Roasted Tomato Risotto Recipe
(serves 2-4)

2 T olive oil
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
~ 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup roasted tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/4 cup shredded Parmaggiano Reggianno Cheese
1 tablespoon butter
a squeeze lemon juice (optional)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Heat a heavy bottomed pot to medium low heat and sweat the onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant and soft. Meanwhile heat your stock to a simmer in a separate pot and keep hot. Add the rice and turn heat to medium. Allow the rice to cook by toasting in the bottom of the pan, stirring it regularly for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the wine is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add a few ladles of stock until the rice is just covered. Continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the liquid absorbs into the rice, whenever the rice is no longer covered by stock add more. When the risotto starts to get tender, about halfway through cooking add the roasted tomatoes and continue cooking. Taste the risotto regularly and when it starts to approach done, stop adding more liquid so it will reduce to the right consistency, it generally takes about 20 minutes to get to this step. Add the butter and cheese, and chives. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Risotto with Mushrooms and Red Wine

katerina — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:32:32 +0000

This may be a controversial opinion, but I don’t believe that wine is truly necessary to produce a good risotto, at least not chemically speaking. I have large faith in Marcella Hazan, whose basic risotto recipe does not call for wine. Scientifically, the purpose of the wine is unclear to me. Some say it adds a light fruity flavour to the risotto, but I doubt that this would be perceptible with stronger flavours like mushrooms. Others claim that the wine helps to make each rice kernel more tender because of it’s acidity — this could easily be done with another acid, where it truly the case.

However, I do believe wine is a mandatory component in risotto, not because of the flavour or because it tenderizes the rice, but because of the side effect caused by opening a bottle of wine. Every nerve in my body seems to relax in a Pavlovian response to the beginnings of risotto, knowing that a glass of wine is in my future.

I have never tried leaving the wine out of a risotto, but for this recipe I tried using red instead of white. It was a nice change and an interesting experiment. Though the risotto was full of earthy deep mushroom flavour my palette is evidently not refined enough to taste the difference in wine. However, it certainly did lend a purple hue to the otherwise lightly coloured dish. Next time I will try a more robust and distinct red wine. Have you ever tried using red wine, or no wine in risotto?

Risotto with Mushrooms and Red Wine
(serves 4)

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced. (I used shitake and cremini)
2 teaspoons dried thyme (substitute 1 tablespoon fresh if you have it)
salt and pepper
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup red wine
~ 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock, warm
1/4 cup Parmagianno Reggiano, grated

First you want to brown the mushrooms. You can use the same pot to cook the risotto if you want but you will need the mushrooms to all fit in one layer so they can brown. They won’t brown if they are crowded. Heat a heavy wide pot to medium and add butter. When it stops foaming add mushrooms (or half of the mushrooms if you are doing it in batches) and stir. Add a pinch of salt and pepper as well as the thyme and saute until the mushrooms start to brown. Remove from heat and repeat with the second batch.

When all the mushrooms are nice and brown remove to a bowl and get out your risotto pot. You want a heavy pot, I usually use a dutch oven. Add olive oil and put on medium low heat. Add shallots and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. You want it to sweat not brown so if the heat is too high reduce it a bit. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes then add wine. Continue to stir the rice regularly until the wine is mostly evaporated. Start adding your warm stock about 1/2 cup at a time. Add the mushrooms and stir them into the rice. Stir the rice regularly to help it cook evenly. Continue adding stock as it evaporates.

You want to slow down the addition of liquid when the rice starts to soften, so test it often. When it is just al dente remove from heat and stir in cheese. Test it for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Asparagus, Pea, and Lemon Risotto Recipe

katerina — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:34:14 +0000

You can certainly not call risotto a light dish, but when you jazz it up with fresh spring vegetables, mint and lemon this is as fresh as it gets. This primavera risotto is lovely with grilled pork and a simple salad. Plus as far as risotto recipes go it is loaded with fresh vegetables.

For the vegetarian risotto use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock. I actually finished off a wedge of Parmiggiano Reggiano grating it up for this dish and decided to use the rind by putting it into my simmering stock. Don’t discard the rinds of your hard cheese they can lend a lovely extra creaminess into dishes.

If you are feeling indulgent treat yourself by adding a few tablespoons of whipping cream at the end, I won’t tell.

Asparagus, Pea, and Lemon Risotto Recipe
(serves 2-4)

2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely minced shallot
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup white wine, room temperature if possible
~ 1L chicken or vegetable stock (give or take)
2/3 cup fresh shelled or frozen peas
2 cups fresh asparagus (1 average bunch size)
salt and pepper
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
6 large fresh mint leaves, chiffonaded
1/2 lemon, juiced
In a heavy pot melt half the butter over medium heat and add olive oil and shallot. In a separate pot heat the stock to medium. Sweat shallot for about 2 minutes then add garlic for another minute. Add rice and cook, stirring regularly for 2 minutes. Add white wine and stir until the rice has absorbed then start adding stock a few ladlefuls at a time until absorbed. Continue stirring regularly.

This is a great time to prepare your vegetables and grate your cheese. To prepare the asparagus first wash it. Then break off ends and cut into 1/2 pieces.

When risotto is almost done (still a firm bite). Stir in asparagus for 3 minutes then add peas. Keep stirring and adding stock as necessary. Start tasting and adjusting your seasoning. When just al dente stir in mint, cheese, lemon juice, and remaining butter. Taste and correct again. Serve immediately.

Risotto with Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms Recipe

katerina — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:59:36 +0000

Quick, while they are in season use as many Brussels sprouts as you can. Of course, they are delicious as a side on their own, but what about in pastas, casseroles or other things? Here is a Brussels sprout risotto recipe paired with some wonderful local mushrooms. Hearty and seasonal.

Caramelizing the Brussels first gives them a deeper flavour and a nicer colour to contrast with the white rice. They pair so nicely with the earthy mushrooms I can’t believe I haven’t done this before. In fact tossing the two together with some thyme would make a lovely side dish all on its own. If you are new to risotto, give this tutorial on how to make risotto a read first and your dish will turn out perfectly everytime.

Caramelized Leek Risotto Recipe

katerina — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:31:00 +0000

The flavour of caramelized leeks is sweet, nutty and subtle. After trying caramelized leeks a few weeks ago them I knew there was a risotto with caramelized leeks in my future.
There aren’t that many leek recipes out there, but I can’t believe I have waited this long to make a leek risotto. When I tasted I was actually excited by how good it was, I think it is officially my new favorite.

If you are looking for a subtler leek flavour, but love bacon, then try this leek risotto with pancetta. It is not vegetarian friendly, but boy is it good.