The Matrix - Re-Evolution!!

tellmeitsfriday

Back - had a lovely day. Timothy was great

http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/

Triciaxx

webitha wrote: »

never had risotto, is it easy to make and whats in it

im one of those strange peoples that have heard of it but dont know about it iyswim lol

I had a recipe in a word doc that I did for a friend a while ago so just added a bit and here it is :

Risotto is cooked using Arborio rice. It is a short grained rice and soaks up liquid like no one’s business and is the most common way of serving rice over there – probably because it grows there.

The principle of cooking risotto is to persuade the rice to give up its starch and form a creamy consistency. It takes around 30 minutes to cook and you need to be stirring pretty constantly but, provided I’ve got everything together, I usually manage to fix a salad in between and I, with much forethought, have the wine rack just under my worktop.

For the risotto basic recipe for 2 people you will need
1 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed (I use more)
120 – 140 g of Arborio rice – depends on appetite
150 ml of dry white wine - if preferred, Apple juice works well
500 ml of hot veg or chicken stock
25 g grated parmesan – To be honest I often use finely grated cheddar.
Salt and pepper to taste
Herbs as fancied.

Heat the stock in a saucepan.

In a separate pan, heat a about half of the butter and the oil, then add the onion and garlic and fry for about 8 minutes until the onion is soft but not coloured. If you are using bacon or any other ingredient which needs a quick fry, add that as well.

Add the rice and turn up the heat so it almost fries. After a minute the rice will look slightly translucent.

Add the wine and keep stirring.

Now add a ladle of hot stock. Turn down the heat to a fairly high simmer. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring constantly and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed completely before adding the next.

Stir until the rice is soft but still has a slight bite, then season with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the butter and half the cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and serve immediately.
If you can’t serve immediately, stop before it is fully cooked as it will go on cooking after you switch the burner off.

Things to add:
MG posted this list a while back
Pea and mint (both from garden - or a handfull of frozen peas)
Roasted Butternut squash - 1 squash roasted with half frozen does us 2 meals.
Broad beans and pancetta (OK scraps of smoky bacon from LIDL)
Bianco - just with parmesan and butter.
Roasted tomatoes - from garden when there is a glut
Courgette and parmesan.

We also have it with :
Mushrooms
Courgettes
Sundried tomatoes
Peas and sweetcorn
Left over chicken shredded
Tinned tuna
Or whatever needs using up.

Karmacat

Timothy the Donkey!!!!

He's lovely

greenbee

Don't forget Tricia, you should only stir the risotto clockwise or you let the devil in

I like Vialone Nano rice, but then I've been influenced by Venetian friends. It's more expensive, so arborio is what gets used every day.

For mushroom risotto, I often use dried mushrooms and use the water from rehydrating them as stock. I might do this tonight if I can be bothered.

Gorgonzola and martini is also nice, if somewhat fattening...

Igamogam

Aww Timothy is lovely. If we had enough land/time/money we would have a donkey:)

tellmeitsfriday

Yes, me too - and some goats, chickens and a little pony

He costs me £16 a year, and he lives at a donkey sanctuary an hour away!

MrsMoo2U

Timothy is so cute and what a lovely name too.

Risotto, you could add prawns/seafood too if you really want to make it special and not a veggie like me. I like Pea and Mint combination. Love roasted butternut squash. Nice with parmesan added at the end. Mushroom risotto is nicest with dried mushrooms as GB suggests too.

Memory_Girl

But remember to strain the mushroom liquor - you don't want to get any of the gritty stuff from the re-hyrdration liquid. YUCK!!!!

Both my kids wanted an "eggy tea" tonight - hope that doesn't mean they are coming down with something. Usually they are starving.

Another pair of trousers for DS2 - they are getting fancier by the day as I figure more places to top-stitch. Hope to get some knitting done tonight - clearing the decks for September.

MG

Marru

TMIF - AAAAWWWW - I am in love!!! Ok now I know what I am going to get for DD's godmother for xmas.

Before and after pictures of our yesterday's work now in my diary :j About to put DD to bed so will start on the paperwork then.

Triciaxx

greenbee wrote: »

Don't forget Tricia, you should only stir the risotto clockwise or you let the devil in
So that is where the little demons came from :eek:

For mushroom risotto, I often use dried mushrooms and use the water from rehydrating them as stock. I might do this tonight if I can be bothered.

Gorgonzola and martini is also nice, if somewhat fattening...

I'm being :money: at the moment.

MrsMoo2U wrote: »

Timothy is so cute and what a lovely name too.

Risotto, you could add prawns/seafood too if you really want to make it special and not a veggie like me. I like Pea and Mint combination. Love roasted butternut squash. Nice with parmesan added at the end. Mushroom risotto is nicest with dried mushrooms as GB suggests too.

I'll go with all of that but :money: reigns.

Memory_Girl wrote: »

But remember to strain the mushroom liquor - you don't want to get any of the gritty stuff from the re-hyrdration liquid. YUCK!!!!

Oh, my! yes! I was just giving a gentle intro to the wonders of risotto.

MG

Off to watch 'Bang goes the Theory' followed by 'Universally Challenged' at which we will abysmally fail and be reduced to alcohol induced oblivion.