Recipe - Risotto

windowshopper100

Hi MBunny

Yeah, that Riverford squash recipe sounds like it would hit the mark. I do think it would work better with the white wine since obviously red would change the colour... but if it ends up colouring the squash it might all end up looking a bit unappetising.

If you can't bring yourself to drink the red wine glut (strange! ) you can freeze it in ice cube trays to use in gravies, soups, stews or a risotto that uses red wine instead.

I can also vouch for Delia's chocolate bread pud - it's been in my repertoire for some years now.

Have a great dinner party.

WS100

Paulie'sGirl

Hi,

My fav risotto is made with chicken, sliced white mushrooms and mangetout. Very filling though.

Seal the chicken before you fry the rice then continue as normal. Add a glass of white wine after all the stock has been absorbed. Mangetout and mushrooms towards the end to stop them overcooking.

Sooooo morish!

newlywed

Prawn and pea risotto is lovely (think it was a bbc good food one).

I like gammon risotto using either a gammon steak chopped up or left overs from boiled gammon.

rockie4

I do a butternut squash and boursin one that's very tasty - no specific quantities though!
Roast the cubed squash in a bit of olive oil. Soften an onion and add the arborio rice, then add the stock, as you do with any risotto, you can chuck a glass of white wine in if you wish, add the squash towards the end then stir in Boursin cheese to taste. Serve with optional parmesan.

champys

boursin is a fab idea! i still have lots of 'potimarron' squashes from the garden to use up, and i also have boursin. that is dinner sorted for this evening (need to revise the meal plan!). thanks a lot rockie4.

another OS idea is to make pumpkin risotto with carrots if you don't have pumpkin at hand. cheap and tastes good too.

oojeyboojey

I find that if my risotto starts looking brown and unappetising (because sometimes I add a splash of port) a teaspoon of turmeric usually perks up the colour a treat and adds a subtle flavour.

I tend to put in loads of vegetables into my risottos:

Finely chopped onions sauteed in butter with some crushed garlic, add a little more butter and coat the rice. Add stock a ladleful at a time, and about 15 minutes in I add some tinned sweetcorn, chopped up sundried tomatoes, halved olives, frozen soy beans, a block or two of frozen spinach, and some frozen peas. Then I put the lid on between stirs and more additions of stock - with the final stir I throw in a handful of chopped parsely (grown in the garden of course!) and some posh cheese, parmesan or blue cheese (boursin even).

Mmmm I'm so hungry now!

windowshopper100

ooooh loads of great ideas. I've only just got into risottos and seem to be in a bacon and mushroom rut - although the addition of a stick of pepperami does wonders too.

Does everyone use the proper risotto rices or have we ever blagged our way with normal basmati - I know it doesn't go as creamy but hey.
I'll definitely been extending my risotto repertoire - many thanks all! :T

WS100

rockie4

I always use arborio rice but don't bother doing the standing there stirring bit - life's too short!!!
I put the stock in approx a third at a time, wait until it's simmering gently and part-cover the pan leave for a few minutes then add a bit more - don't let it go dry though!

*think I might revise my tea plans*

competitionscafe

My favourite risotto is similar to the ones suggested by windowshopper100 and rockie4: - Roasted butternut squash and sage risotto with pinenuts. The recipe is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/roastedbutternutsqua_67878.shtml

It's gorgeous, you can also use pumpkin but one of the small, tasty ones not the huge watery tasteless ones, acorn squash works well too.
Roasting the butternut/squash/pumpkin really brings out the flavour.
I use a lot less white wine though as I found 2 glasses dominated the flavour too much, I only use about half a glass, if that, plus it means more for me to drink while I stir the risotto.

I think the most important ingredient is the quality of your stock - a homemade chicken stock from a good quality bird will make a huge difference to the flavour, although I often 'cheat' and stock up with a bulk buy of frozen chicken stock from pipersfarm.com or swaddles.co.uk - both excellent. Risotto made with stock from a stockcube just isn't the same. Obviously vegetarians will have to use vegetable stock, but homemade veg stock is fairly quick and easy or failing that the Marigold stuff is okay.

I use Carnaroli rice or arborio. Another good risotto is gorgonzola and bacon/pancetta, made with a really ripe and runny gorgonzola - yum! Quite rich though.

Money~Bunny_3

My favourite risotto is similar to the ones suggested by windowshopper100 and rockie4: - Roasted butternut squash and sage risotto with pinenuts. The recipe is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/da...ua_67878.shtml

That's the one I'm making! (Well - a combination of that and the Riverford one.) The only real difference seems to be that the BBC one mashes the squash slightly (which I like) and uses sage instead of rosemary. I have both, though - any idea which is nicer? I don't prefer either...

Thanks for the hint about the risotto. I was going to use marigold stock (light of my kitchen since 2002) but since none of us are veggie, I might buy some chicken stock (I don't much like chicken, so I can't buy a chicken just to make stock from it :rotfl:)

Does everyone use the proper risotto rices or have we ever blagged our way with normal basmati - I know it doesn't go as creamy but hey.

Windowshopper - look here for a great explanation of why risotto rice is so delicious...