How to prepare Risotto

I call risotto a "labour of love". Its one of the most delicious dishes when cooked properly, but it is time consuming. It needs your full attention for the full half hour it takes to cook. The trick is to keep the rice moving. Consider it your half hour of arm toning and stir the rice continually from the time it goes in the pot until its cooked and you'll make a beautiful risotto! Risotto is best eaten immediately. 


Left over risotto makes the best pan fried fritters. Served with thinly sliced parma ham and a fresh green salad -  Yum!


How to prepare risotto

The best most commonally available risotto is Arborio, from Northern Italy.

You'll need...
1 cup of Arborio rice (serves 4)
500ml of chicken stock or vegetable stock (powder or cube)
half onion very finely chopped
3 tbl spoon olive oil
1 cup of white wine

In a heavy based pot add the oil (be careful not to over heat olive oil) add the onion and fry for 1 or 2 minutes .
Throw in the rice, stirring until translucent for a couple of minutes. This gives the rice a lovely crispy texture. Add a cup of wine and stir – when the wine has reduced and been absorbed into the rice, add the stock a cup at a time, making sure that you allow the liquid to reduce. This process should take about 25mins.


Season with good sea salt and cracked black pepper, a good handfull of parmesan cheese and olive oil or a blob of butter. Remember risotto is served al dente.

Some serving suggestions:


One cup of blanched frozen peas and a handful of fresh chopped mint. Grate the zest of one lemon, add fresh basil & rugola.


Sautéed mushrooms & diced crispy bacon.
  

Fettuccine with mushrooms in a light cream & white wine sauce

Serves 2

One packet fresh fettuccine (Fresh pasta is readily available in most supermarkets and makes a big difference to the quality of your cooking - especially with a delicate sauce such as this)


2 handfuls of fresh mushrooms (porcini, button, portobello - your choice)
A glug of olive oil
Knob of butter (best not to use margarine)
Freshly chopped oregano – one small handful
A cup of cream
A cup of white wine (its for the pot so use cheap cooking or leftover wine)

Start with the sauce...

In a pan add the olive oil and butter. Add the chopped mushrooms (keep them nice and chunky so that you can taste the mushroom) and sauté them for a couple of minutes with the oregano. Add the cup of wine and allow to reduce on a low heat to about half its volume - maybe 5-6 mins. Take off the stove and add the cream – set aside.

For the pasta...

Bring a pot of water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt. Add the fettuccine – fresh pasta takes about 5 mins. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Serve immediately

Garnish with parmesan shavings and fresh chopped oregano. Yum!!