Recipe - Risotto

Stephen_Leak

RISOTTO

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic
½ an onion
100g (¼ of a 400g tin) of plum tomatoes*
1 tablespoon of olive oil
250g of minced beef, chopped chicken, prawns, mushrooms or frozen mixed vegetables
125g (125ml by volume) of arboreo rice
1 tablespoon of dried mixed herbs
1 beef, chicken or vegetable stock cube**
250ml of water

METHOD

Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onion, cut it in half, chop one half into tiny pieces and save the other half.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Put the juice into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the bowl). Put the chopped tomatoes into the bowl. Use 100g and save the other 300g.

Put the oil into a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir frequently to stop it sticking. Add the mince, chicken, prawns, mushrooms or vegetables. Fry for another 3 to 4 minutes, until any meat is an even colour, with no pink bits.

Add the rice and fry for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the herbs and tomatoes. Crumble the stock cube into the water.Add some of the stock to the pan. Mix thoroughly. Add some more of the stock to the pan. Mix thoroughly. Repeat this until all of the stock has been added to the pan.

Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils, for another 20 to 25 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. If it looks like it is getting dry, add some more water and stir.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Substitute 125ml of white wine for 125ml of the water. You can use left-over cooked chicken, but add it after all the stock has been added.

TIPS

This dish needs an eye keeping on it all the time to make sure that it cooks properly but stays moist.
　
* Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.

** If using prawns, use either a chicken or vegetable stock cube.

Annie_Other

Risotto is a great way to use leftovers, even turkey!! Just follow the instructions on the risotto rice pack, easy peasy!!

roddydogs

Yup, but "Stir continuously" for 20 mins? Easy?

Ambersuccubus

Yup! Much easier than it sounds...and "continuously" can involve (short) breaks to eg get more liquid to put in etc, as long as it isn't just left standing for too long. As long as the bulk of your ingredients are to hand, it's dead simple.
And I personally can read a book/drink a glass of wine with the hand which is not stirring, and usually persuade my other half into the kitchen with me for company in the 1/2 hour or so it actually takes (20 mins never seems to be quite enough). We had smoked salmon risotto last night (leftovers again!)

valk_scot

I cook it in the oven. Only needs stirring a couple of times.

debtmess

Love risotto in this house, sinmple to make yet very filling dont make mine by the book as such as i add extra veg when i make one

a great way for making meats like chicken stretch another meal

reehsetin

anyone have an easy peasy receipes for veggie risotto please, I've never made it before!

lilian1977

Try this one:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/reallyeasymushroomri_70240.shtml

Although once you've got the basic risotto recipe down, you can really make any flavour you want! Here is Jamie's basic risotto: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/risotto/basic-risotto-recipe - once you can do this, just add anything you like Good luck!

msb5262

If you're making a vegetable risotto, a delicious thing to add at the last minute is almonds or cashews, lightly stir-fried. Bumps up the protein content and adds a lovely crunch.

Bronnie

My personal preference is less-is-more with risotto.

If you can get it right, the flavour of the basic rice dish is so divine with the garlic, wine and butter, that I like to keep the dish fairly simple after that with just 1 or 2 ingredients. So a mushroom one, or chicken one or just with parmesan.

There's a huge temptation sometimes with OS/ MS cooking to chuck all the leftovers in. This is one dish were I'd suggest exercising restraint sometimes and enjoy the simplicity of the dish and chuck the leftovers into something else!!