Risotto

By Pamela Lee, from the January 1999 Newsletter

I was first inspired to try my hand at cooking risotto in 1994 after reading an article in Cook's Illustrated Magazine (the March issue). The article began: "Perfect risotto is like great art, difficult to define, but you know it when you see it." I'd only amend this (slightly) to: ". . . you know it when you taste it." My first risotto dish was delicious, in spite of the fact that the phone rang, I forgot to stir, and accidentally broke most of the risotto rules. Over the intervening years, I'd only made risotto once more. I don't know why; it just didn't make its way into my standard repertoire. . . until now. After this last month of cooking risotto, I'm certain it will be one of my favorite healthy cold weather meals.

Over the last month, I've been reading a lot about risotto, and I found that there was considerable disagreement between authors. Armed with my characteristic culinary curiosity and frequent hunger, and with the reward of many warm savory meals, I decided to experiment with risotto-making "rules."

First the basics. Risotto is an Italian rice dish that is cooked on top of the stove. In risotto, the rice grains are discreet, firm, and loosely bound by a flavorful sauce that is created as one cooks the rice. To cook risotto, heat the oil (olive oil or butter), sauté some chopped aromatic vegetables (e.g. onions, shallots, leeks), add the rice, stir for a few minutes, then gradually add hot broth, about a half-cup at a time. It is important that you add the hot broth in small batches, stirring as the rice absorbs the liquid. Adding all the liquid at once would be boiling or steaming the rice, and that's not risotto.

One of the most prevalent rules is that you must stir the risotto constantly for the entire twenty (to thirty) minutes it takes to cook. But, this isn't necessary if you choose a heavy pan with a non-reactive lining. I use a Le Creuset enamel-over-iron saucepan. It holds the heat well and doesn't scorch easily, so constant stirring is not necessary. One does need to stir enough to prevent burning, and to liberate the rice's amylopectin starch that combines with the broth to make risotto's distinctive sauce.

Traditionally, risotto is made with an Italian variety of a plump short-to-medium grain japonica (Japanese) rice. Arborio superfino is the variety most widely available in the United States. You can find arborio in the bulk rice section at the Co-op. Since risotto articles disagree on what rice might be a worthy substitute for arborio, I was curious and tried several. I found that organic sushi rice lent results remarkably similar to arborio. I did not like risotto made with jasmine or standard short or medium white rice, nor with brown rice. But, I liked very much the nutty flavor of risotto made with basmati rice. In fact, I like the basmati best. The basmati risotto was not quite as firmly al dente as the arborio or sushi, but I found the flavor superior.

One can add a wide variety of vegetables, chopped meat, herbs and seasonings, or even cooked, dried beans to a risotto dish. Add vegetables that require longer cooking or uncooked meat at the beginning. Cooked meat or already roasted or sautéed vegetables can be added at the beginning, the end, or in stages, as one stirs batches of broth into the risotto. Adding ingredients in stages tends to result in a more complex and layered flavor.

Risotto can be a side dish or a meal in itself. Wine and cheese are standard ingredients in risotto recipes, though I personally found that neither was absolutely essential. The cheese most often suggested for use with risotto is Parmigiano-Reggiano, but other cheeses can be used. If you have allergies or lactose intolerance, and have to do without cheese, I suggest you top your risotto with a chopped fresh herb, scallion, or roasted red pepper. Though wine is not an absolutely necessary ingredient, if you omit it, you may want to add something acidic, such as a bit a freshly squeezed lemon juice, or if it matches your ingredients, a bit of fresh apple or orange juice. Use only a few tablespoons of fruit juice, not the full amount as wine called for in the recipe.

I recommend using only the freshest ingredients. It is also important to select a tasty, high quality broth. The Co-op's Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Broth (in the aseptic 1-quart container) is delicious, but don't add additional salt if you use this stock—it's plenty salty on its own. (On the other hand, I was disappointed with the Pacific Foods Organic Vegetable Broth. I thought the taste was flat.)

It isn't possible to predict precisely how much stock will be required. It depends on how dry the rice is. Plus, it seems that some people like risotto thick enough to scoop, others like it thin enough to pour. If you haven't heated enough broth, you can finish with water. I've also finished risotto with a cup of the Imagine (brand) Creamy Mushroom, Squash, or Potato Leek soup. (If you haven't tried the Imagine soups yet, do! They are rich, satisfying, dairy-free soups.)

Most risotto authors insist that the dish be served al dente, that the insides of the rice grains be chewy, firm, and resilient. One article said that if you were to slice a properly al dente rice grain in half, there should be tiny white pin-dot in the center of the grain. The length of cooking time determines the firmness of the rice. Most recipes say that the process of stirring in the broth and stirring will take 15-20 minutes. But Italian cooking authority Marcella Hazan advises tasting after 20 minutes, and she admits to preferring risotto that is cooked for 25 - 30 minutes. I agree, but remember that if you are cooking and serving the risotto in a heavy pan, like a Le Creuset, the risotto will continue to cook in the pot after it is removed from the heat.

It's difficult to select just one recipe from those I've tried this month. Amongst my favorites were a broccoli rabe and leftover chicken risotto and a roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato dish, that I finished with a cup of the Imagine Creamy Squash soup (instead of some of the broth). But, since I didn't follow recipes for those, I would only be able to estimate the amounts of ingredients that I used. This recipe, from "Pilaf, Risotto, and other ways with Rice" by Sada Fretz, is both basic and delicious. It also lends itself to many variations. You can add meat, other vegetables or herbs. I used considerably more garlic than called for, only olive oil (no butter), and added some Herbes de Provence. I served it with chopped roasted red peppers, scallions, and the cheese on the side, for adding at the table. One could also cook their mushrooms in the same risotto pot, adding them after the onions. This would resulting dish would be different, but good!

If adding mushrooms to the risotto pot at the beginning, I recommend finishing with a cup of Imagine Creamy Mushroom soup.

Risotto with Fresh Mushrooms

Serves 6 as a first course, 3 or 4 as a main dish

4 T. olive oil
1 or 2 T. unsalted butter
1/2 lb. mixed fresh mushrooms such as shiitake, cremini, and portobello, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
5 cups hot chicken or vegetable broth
1 T. fresh thyme leaves or 1 t. dried
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat 1 T. olive oil and 1 T. butter in a medium-size skillet. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add 1/4 cup wine. Reduce heat to very low and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat 3 T. oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft but not brown. Add garlic and cook until soft, 1 or 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine and cook, stirring, until liquid is absorbed. Begin stirring in the chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and wiping the sides and bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. As each addition of broth is absorbed, add the next. When almost done, stir in the thyme, then the mushrooms, then the parsley. Add more broth, stirring as before, until rice is done, creamy on the outside but still a bit firm in the center of each grain. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, the remaining butter, if using, and the salt and pepper.

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