Recipe - Risotto

salt_and_pepper

Hi i tend to lurk on this board but i really could do with your help. I would like to be able to make a nice risotto as it seems to be a nice cheap meal and will be something that my veggie daughter will like. I attempted one last night using 400g of risotto rice and 1.4 litres of vegetable stock which i kept on a simmer until i used it all up. I first sealed the rice for a couple of minutes in some oil, then slowly added the stock bit by bit over a 30 min period. It ended up a gloopy but i understand that this is what it's supposed to be like, but it was a little chewy, not unpleasently- maybe it needed a bit longer after i finished adding all the liquid? Any advise cos i'm determined to try again until i can perfect it.
Many thanks

thriftlady_2

Sounds like a perfect risotto to me S&P;) but if you want the rice softer just add more liquid- water will do if you run out of stock.

I always add a splash of alcohol, usually vermouth but white wine is more usual before I start adding the stock.

MrsE_2

salt_and_pepper wrote: »

Hi i tend to lurk on this board but i really could do with your help. I would like to be able to make a nice risotto as it seems to be a nice cheap meal and will be something that my veggie daughter will like. I attempted one last night using 400g of risotto rice and 1.4 litres of vegetable stock which i kept on a simmer until i used it all up. I first sealed the rice for a couple of minutes in some oil, then slowly added the stock bit by bit over a 30 min period. It ended up a gloopy but i understand that this is what it's supposed to be like, but it was a little chewy, not unpleasently- maybe it needed a bit longer after i finished adding all the liquid? Any advise cos i'm determined to try again until i can perfect it.
Many thanks

I did butternut squah risotto last night.

200g of rice to 2 litres of liquid.

salt_and_pepper

Thanks i shall give a go at adding more liquid although i did read the instuctions on the packet. Practise makes perfect- it's hard to find risotto rice in the shops though

NJW69

I think you just keep adding the liquid until you get it how you want it but it should be creamy. Try adding peas, asparagus, spring onion and green beans and then grate some parmesan over the top at the end.

Raspberry_Swirl

A lot of chefs will say the rice should have bite to it so your's sounded perfect. I prefer my rice a little more well done so just add more liquid as others have said.

CCP

I used to have this problem with risotto until I read somewhere (and I wish I could remember where) that you only need to fry the rice for a minute or so before you start adding stock, just until it starts to go translucent - if you cook it for too long at this stage then the rice will never soften properly, no matter how much stock you add later.

That solved the problem for me, so I just thought I'd mention it.

I would second thriftlady's suggestion of adding a splash of white wine at the start of cooking, though - the finished risotto tastes so much better if you do this, although I'm not really sure why. :beer:

2009ismyyear

I agree re the wine - although I couldn't find any last week and added a splash of sherry to my risotto - was just as nice!

I often stir in a dollop of soft/cream cheese at the end to make it extra creamy :-)

Egghi

It sounds like you did everything right. I am Italian, from a region where risotto is a very traditional and popular dish.
I find actually hard to tell someone how to make it because it must be written in my DNA probably. Never read a recipe lol!

The basic risotto is: fry rice in olive oil for 1-2 minutes max, then add stock gradually and stir. Every time the rice needs the stock, you add it. Once almost ready to your taste you stop adding the liquid and keep stirring until the excess is absorbed. You then add butter and parmesan, stir again and serve. This is how we make risotto in Italy. Not too liquid (it's not a soup) not too thick (glue-ish). It has to be smooth. The butter/parmesan in the end helps a lot. It's called 'mantecare' and it's part of the process of making risotto.

It is easy to over cook risotto. Never do it in advance or if you don't know when you are going to eat (exactly).

The best rice for risotto is either arborio, vialone nano or carnaroli. It's a bit expensive in this country but almost every supermarket has them.

Good luck for your next one but I think the one you made was excellent for a first try

heavenleigh

Evening all,
I have tried and yet again failed to use the search feature on this forum :mad:

Last year i went to a friends house and she cooked a spinach and ricotta risotto in the oven and said it was a Delia recipe! I have searched for months online, have bought Delia's vegetarian collection and her cookery course.....i still cant find the recipe.

Please tell me one of you lot have come across it before, or have a recipe to do an oven baked risotto with spinach and ricotta...having 4 children and very little time the oven risottos are more practical for me xx