How do I make risotto?

Nikster

It's easy to tell I don't cook too often but I'm trying to do it more often now. The only problem is that my mother won't eat anything I like to cook. She doesn't like anything spicy, or garlic, or anything unusual. She's a spud person, a plain spud person.

Anyway I think I pretty much have the ingredients for a risotto for this evening, but I'm not quite sure how to make it. Can anyone help me?

Ingredients:
rice (of course)
mushrooms
chicken stock
parmesan
parma ham (is this too weird for a risotto?)

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

Malari

Risotto is easy to make, but it is quite same-ish so i think small enough quantities are plenty.

Use about 100g arborio rice for 500ml stock for 2 people.

I'd usually chop a small onion finely and fry that in some oil. Add the rice, coat it, could add a few tablespoons of white wine here for a bit of flavour!

Then start adding the warm stock, ladle by ladle, stirring all the time and making sure each ladle-full is absorbed before you add the next one.

This will take about 15-18 mins. Rice should be slightly al dente when cooked, but add more water if you think it needs to be softer.

Meanwhile, fry up the mushrooms and add them after all the stock is gone. Add the parma ham (not too weird for the risotto!) and finally stir in the grated parmesan and maybe a knob of butter if you are feeling indulgent!

It's an easy dish to make and very tasty - good luck!

Mr Magnolia

Personally, I'd add at least one small onion (finely chopped) a clove of garlic and a half glass of dry white wine to that list. Some fresh parsley would be must too. I wouldn't add the ham.

Bring your stock to the boil in a separate pan, keep it just off the boil.

Chop your onion and garlic finely and fry off in a little oil. Season.

When the onion starts to colour add the rice and then the white wine stirring constantly.

Add a laddle of stock and stir until the rice has absorbed nearly all the liquid stirring contstantly.

When the rice has absorbed nearly all the stock, add the next laddle continue to do this until the rice has the texture you want. It should retain a little 'bite'.

Season to taste, add the parmesan and the parsley. Serve.

Mushroom risotto with parmesan and parsley, done.

Malari

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Season to taste, add the parmesan and the parsley. Serve.

Mushroom risotto with parmesan and parsley, done.

Very Gordon-Ramsey-esque delivery there

Mr Magnolia

Malari wrote: »

Very Gordon-Ramsey-esque delivery there

Glad it wasn't wasted

Malari

I hope you were also smacking the back of one hand off the palm of the other...:D

But back on topic, anyone know the difference between arborio and carnaroli rice? I've only been able to get arborio here but would love to try other types.

olaola

Smoked bacon or chorizo is good in there too.
I think it's nice if you serve it with a tangy salad to cut through the risotto.
Avocado & rocket goes very well - I dress it with lemon juice and some olive oil.

Minder

If using mushrooms for the risotto, a squeeze of lemon juice on the cooked mushrooms just before taking them off the heat will lift the flavour, then mix through the rice as usual.

As said in other posts, butter and parmasaen cheese will enrich the risotto - but will also thicken it, so having a little stock will wet it again - depends on how wet you like it. Other ingredient for a mushroom risotto are dried porcini mushrooms - rehydrate in hot water before using both the mushroom and the resultant stock in the dish - a little goes a long way and the flavour is really intense - very beefy.

A drizzle of truffle oil on the plated dish makes it for me.

Nikster

Thanks for all the hints and tips. The risotto has been made and has been eaten already. My mother didn't even notice the bit of garlic I put in! That's something I'll definitely make again cos it wasn't too difficult.

Thanks all

Mr Magnolia

Glad you enjoyed it.

Just to back up what's mentioned above. The squeeze of lemon juice and a knob of butter is a simple way of enhancing the flavours.

Swampy

I fricking LOVE Risotto

the beer revolu

Malari wrote: »

Very Gordon-Ramsey-esque delivery there

But Gordon forgot the mushrooms in the mushrom risotto!

Mr Magnolia

the beer revolu wrote: »

But Gordon forgot the mushrooms in the mushrom risotto!

ROFL

preilly79

In another pot try sweating off some baby-leaf spinach with nutmeg. take it out of the pot and very finely chop it. then mix it to your standard "risotto blanco" at the end. serve with some nice goats cheese on top

Ponster

"stirring contstantly" IMO is very important.

This doesn't mean adding the stock, giving it a stir and then heading off to watch telly.

You really need to keep stirring the dish throughout the whole cooking process.

SnowMonkey

i tend to use cellerey as well find it helps the base flavour of the resoto, along with oinions finly choped ....

Dizzyblonde

I had a gorgeous roasted tomato risotto in a restaurant a while ago and I want to try making it myself. Would I just make a basic risotto and add my roasted tomatoes at the end?

Ponster

I'd chop the roasted tomatoes into cubes and add half after 10 minutes of rice cooking and the other half towards the end but it may depend on if you want any tomatoe pieces in the final dish or not.

Mr Magnolia

Maybe add a little tomato purée too.

Dizzyblonde

Ponster wrote: »

I'd chop the roasted tomatoes into cubes and add half after 10 minutes of rice cooking and the other half towards the end but it may depend on if you want any tomatoe pieces in the final dish or not.

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Maybe add a little tomato purée too.

Thanks lads, I'll give it a try