Risotto

I started eating risotto when I was a teenager and have loved it ever since.  It’s an Italian rice dish that is made with Arborio rice and stirred with chicken stock to make it rich and creamy, without actually adding any cream.  Furthermore, it’s a blank slate and you can add an endless variety of seafood, meats, vegetables, herbs, and spices to it.  It’s a fast dish that is impressive to guests and it will please anyone. 

My favorite risotto recipes are the ones that use seasonal ingredients.  I use butternut squash and saffron in the fall/winter, asparagus and peas in the spring, and fresh basil and mushrooms in the summer.  I also add shredded chicken or cooked shrimp to make it a fuller meal. 

Following is a basic recipe for risotto with a list of add ins that I have tried.  Be sure to taste it for correct seasoning and doneness of the rice.  Enjoy!

                                    Risotto with shrimp, peas, asparagus, mushroom, and parsley 

Risotto

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, chopped

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

4-5 cups simmering chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you want it vegetarian)

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon pepper

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating

Add ins: 

Blanched asparagus

Frozen peas, defrosted

Sliced mushrooms, any variety

Butternut squash, cut into bite sized pieces, and roasted

Cooked shrimp/lobster/mussels/scallops

Shredded chicken

Chopped fennel

Zest and juice of 1 lemon (add at very end)

Mascarpone cheese

Basil/chives/thyme/saffron/parsley

Anything else you think would be good in risotto

Place chicken (or vegetable) stock in a small saucepan and bring to simmer

In another medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat

Add the shallots and cook until tender

Add the rice and stir until it is coated in oil

Add the wine and simmer over low heat until most of the wine has been absorbed

Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly until most of the stock has been absorbed (the more you stir it, the creamier it will be)

Add more chicken stock as it’s absorbed (this usually takes 20-30 min)

Add salt and pepper, stir, and taste for seasoning

Add Parmesan cheese and stir

Add whatever add ins you like (just make sure the add ins are cooked before you add them)

Stir and taste for seasoning and doneness of the rice

Serve hot with more Parmesan cheese to grate over the top