Risotto

[UnfilteredDregs]

#1 Rule of risotto...

NEVER STOP STIRRING. Lol. Really. Constant agitation of the grain creates a creamy starch luxurious velouté that can't be achieved any other way.

If I have to step away for more than seconds I assign the wife or the daughter to the watch; severe penalties if they leave their battle station. Lmao.

#2 Rule of Risotto...

Always use a good broth, even if it's a simple & light Court Bouillon. Water..meh, unless it's a good spring water.

Use butter.

Don't brown the onions....but, lightly toast the rice!!! It's contradictory, the point is sweat the onions first then turn it up a bit when you add the rice.

When you've toasted the rice, the first liquid you hit it with is a wine, usually white. Unless you're doing that rare risotto thang involving beef or some such.

The risotto should be cooked at a low simmer, a slow happy burble. A flameproof piece of clayware, like a tagine bottom, is a good cooking vessel.
Keep your broth/stock covered at a simmer.

When you add the broth add just enough at a time to loosen the rice so that it stirs easily.

Don't drown the risotto.

Only add more when, as you're stirring, it's obviously absorbed most of the liquid, and you see the bottom of the cooking vessel as the spoon pulls the rice aside.

It's finished when the rice is al dente.

Cheese is added after the flame is turned off...stir and incorporate. For the blasphemous here...a dollop of creme fraiche is pretty fucking awesome in risotto.

I add broth (before adding the cheese) if I want it looser... this is why you use a good broth that can stand on its own, it won't dilute flavor and goes to help control texture.

A risotto should flow from the spoon to the plate without needing assistance. It shouldn't mound that much, if at all.

...and use a plate versus a bowl, for a classic presentation.

I love risotto. One of my favorite things to make...

[UnfilteredDregs]

...and I totally disagree with that Serious Eats/Food Lab article...The pictures are worth 1000 words, his results are terrible. The stirring is akin to properly kneading a dough, not for "even cooking," even cooking comes from adding the appropriate amount of appropriate temperature liquid.

(Sorry...)

[ericpmoss]

[...] For the blasphemous here...a dollop of creme fraiche is pretty fucking awesome in risotto.[...]

+1 on the creme fraiche. Mascarpone is also really great -- Raymond Blanc does this with without losing a Michelin star, so it is blessed in at least one nation willing to riot over food. ;)

[ericpmoss]

BTW, I amend my earlier recommendations on ingredients. After trying 6 brands of Italian rice, I've settled on the Acquerello or Melotti carnaroli. The Gliaironi is very tasty, but the Melotti and especially Acquerello have the plumpest, most regular and defect-free grains, and are available on Amazon. The various vialone nanos and arborios are also good tasting and plenty starchy, but if you are doing something for someone special, like whoever glues your tubulars... ;)

Also, I'd go with the mascarpone rather than egg to finish, as the egg gets gritty unless the risotto is warm rather than hot -- the mascarpone is much more heat tolerant.

As for wine, I like a bit of tawny port. I know it's wrong, but the nuttiness is pretty fantastic.

[LarryA]

Our Christmas risotto treat starts with boiling then shelling lobsters. Shells go back into the water the lobster was cooked in, which you simmer down to 1/2 volume. Chunk up the lobster meat after it cools and set aside. Take 3 cups of lobster stock and add a bottle of prosecco to get your 6 cups of hot liquid. Make the soffrito, then add the rice as per usual. Add lobster back in when risotto is 5 minutes from ready. Yummmm;-)

[maunahaole]

I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but do it in a pressure cooker.

[UnfilteredDregs]

I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but do it in a pressure cooker.

I've never done it that way myself but I've had it and the one thing I always notice is that it splits the rice...maybe that's a technique issue? idk...

I have too many pots as it is, and I don't mind taking the time so that's really why I don't have a pressure cooker.

[maunahaole]

Can't tell you about technique on that. Mine came out pretty nice. I'm using a countertop electric and not a stovetop model. The electric ones use lower psi than the stove models, fwiw.

Can't say that I blame you for not wanting another pot. The thing takes up a bunch of space, but I find that I'm using it a couple times a week.

[LarryA]

Anyone try making pasta risotto-style (as in, in a pan and adding broth slowly)?

[ericpmoss]

Anyone try making pasta risotto-style (as in, in a pan and adding broth slowly)?

Here's one.

[ericpmoss]

Here's one.

I tried a variant of this using gouda and a lot less technique (ahem). Fortunately it's quite resilient as a method, and doesn't seem to take terribly long -- you have to stir constantly, but the higher cooking temp (not just boiling at ~212F) softens the pasta well as long as it never goes dry. You have to keep nearly 100% of the pasta in contact with the pan bottom or else you're just boiling it, if in something other than water. Despite the higher heat, it doesn't go from fine to mush in a minute. Using less water and more (milk in this case) results in a denser, more intense flavor. Not washing away the starch is double-edged to me. There is no water-logging of the pasta, but it can be a bit chalky, depending on the pasta. My first attempt was pretty good, but I ran out of milk -- a bit more right before baking would have fixed every issue, I believe. Anyone with skill should have no problem. Oh, and use a spatula to stir, as it leaves the pasta in much better condition.

[LarryA]

Ok - Risotto-mac is on the "to cook" list;-)