Risotto - 12 December 2010 - Page 1

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Tonight I decided to make Risotto

Most people would know what Risotto is, for those that dont, its a bit like Biriyani but Italian. You also use arborio rice which is plumper and harder, and able to absorb much more liquid.
The cooking process, unlike Biriyani, is also very labour intensive, read on to find out how much you have to stir to keep it from being destroyed by fire.

I forgot to take the obligitary photo that shows all the ingredients arranged nicely on my benchtop, so instead we cut straight to the action.
Most people wouldnt do this first, but I prefer the extra ingredients in my risotto to remain somewhat texturous, so I cook them on their own first.
here you can see some onion, capsicum, chicken breast, zuchhini, in a huge flat bottomed pan (this is important), going at full speed.

I lied, heres some more ingredients lined up nicely. That tin says Basmati rice but its actually filled with arborio rice, because im into recycling these days.
Also, thanks to whoever brought wine to my house and didnt drink it all, I bet you expected it to be drunk since its supposed to be great? No I am cooking with it instead. Get over it.

In this shot I have added the asparagus, mushrooms (swiss brown) and its just about ready to come off the heat and be set aside.
When you take it out, try to leave all the brown juices and burnt bits in the pan, those are called flavour and will be used on our rice.

Once the pan is heated to ridiculous temperatures, take it off the heat and let it cool down for a bit, if you add rice to it now it will instantly turn into glass!
Ok, assuming the heat is now bloody hot instead of volcanic nuclear hot, add the rice, and stir as fast as possible so it doesnt stick and ruin dinner for everyone.

The goal is to not just boil the rice, but to sautee it or something like that. So you keep deglazing the pan with white wine and chicken stock, stir, swear because its burning/sticking, scrape it off the bottom, add more fluids, repeat.

After a while, the rice will be cooked enough. To tell if it is you have to taste it. Look around and make sure no ones watching, stick the wooden spoon in your mouth with some rice in it, realise its still crunchy, stir some more.
In this photo I am carefully tipping the juices from all the stuff I cooked earlier back into the pan. This is additional brown fluid flavour.

Here I am adding some stock, 'real stock'. Real stock is actually thick and jelly like, but this stuff in the cardboard box is good enougb. DO NOT use a stock cube and some water, ever, for anything.

Heres the rice looking ready. Plump and juicy and an unappetising brown color.

To celebrate the rice being ready, I have poured all the stuff I cooked earlier back in the pan. This has added some much needed color to the gelatinous brown goop.

Stir it in good, its probably a good idea to turn the heat down.

If you were paying attention earlier, you will remember there was a whole heap of green stuff. Now is the time to add this, here is the parsley (a lot of it) chopped and ready to go.
When you are using parsley make sure you use the straight leaf continental style rather than curly leaf caucasian style. They taste the same but you get to feel like an elitist, and thats what lifes all about.

I have added the parsley and baby spinach here, you can turn the heat off now and just stir it through. I like it to remain pretty crunchy. If you dont like it like that, cook it longer, I dont care.

Finally, here it is served on my cool Japanese motif plate. I have shaved some parmesan cheese on top.
Parmesan cheese smells like vomit, thats why its awesome.