919 The perfect risotto ??

Well here goes - this thread will probably cause a storm.

This is the basic traditional recipe given to me from a restaurateur in Urbania in Le Marche - there are hundreds of variations - but this might be a good place for you to start. its very simple.

In Italian arborio rice is grown almost exclusively on the PO plateau to the south of Milan. Risotto alla Milanese (rice Milan style) is therefore a traditional and original dish of that area. Typically butter is used, because north of Milan is the principle dairy producing area of Italy but using olive oil (extra virgin)does make it a little lighter. You must use best quality arborio rice, if you want that authentic creamy texture, nothing else will do.

As you probably know, saffron is the worlds most expensive spice, but powerful, so a little goes a long way. Anyway I digress, here is the recipe.

[B]Good for about 4 people.[/B]

Chicken broth 7 cups
Saffron 4 threads or 1/8 tsp. powdered
Olive oil (extra-virgin) ¼ cup
Butter 1 Tablespoon
Onions, diced ½ cup
Parmesan cheese, grated 2/3 cups (thats two thirds)
Arborio rice 2 cups
Salt and Pepper to taste
Wine, dry, white ½ cup
(or dry vermouth)

[B]How to do it:[/B]

In a large pot, heat the broth but don’t let it come to a full boil. A simmer is perfect, and keep it simmering throughout

Heat the oil in a separate pot over medium heat.

Add the onion and sauté slowly until translucent and tender.

Stir in the rice until the grains are coated with the oil. (This will keep them from sticking together.)

Cook for a couple of minutes until the rice gives off a nutty smell. Start by adding 1 cup of hot broth, stirring continuously. (If the broth isn't hot, the rice will never cook completely)

As the rice absorbs the broth, begin adding ½ cup of broth at a time, stirring constantly until all the broth is used. (15-20 minutes) Remove from heat, stir in the wine, saffron threads, butter and Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

buon appetito

The real risotto comes from the North of Italy, basically from vercelli. My Mum is the master of Risotto.
There I go.
Risotto ai Funghi/ Mushroom Risotto

1 onion
olive oil
1 lt stock (dado classico star is the one I use)
arborio rice
dried porcini mushrooms- you have to soak them in hot water and them wash them well as they often have a lot of soil
1 tbs butter
some chopped parsley
1/2 glass dry white wine (optional but nice)

Get a large frying pan, heat some oil, gentle fry the thinly sliced onion.
Add the rice. To measure the rice: two handful for person, more two for the pan. due per la pentola, that's the rule.
Stir fry the rice. then add the white wine, all on a high flame. Let it evaporate. Add the broth , not all at once, but bit by bit. The rice has to be covered by it, but you do not want to put too much in case you overcook the rice. Lower the flame, so that it simmers, uncovered.
Do not stir. If you stir it too much it will become glue. not good.
It will be ready in about 20 min, check it from time to time, adding broth if necessary.
Adjust with salt and pepper. Add the butter, let it melt and let the risotto rest for 5 minutes. Serve and sprinkle with some parsley if you wish.
Parmesan needed!

Enjoy

Paola

Thanks very much for recipes, I'm going to try both of them ( not at the same time !!!)

If you have any other gems to share i would be grateful..I love cooking and will be getting visitors in the Autumn, so want to practise now !!!!!

Paola, when do I add the mushrooms ? Don't want to spoil it by adding too soon or too late..sorry for being thick !! Also it is as good with fresh porcini (mushrooms) in season ?

This risotto will knock your visitors socks off!

Recipe

5 cups beef broth - hot
1 cup 'carnarino' - (water in which a whole lemon rind has been boiled )- hot.
The peel of one lemon grated.
2 cups arborio rice
8 tbls.. butter
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Melt half the butter over medium high heat in a large saute pan - do not let it brown.
When the butter is melted add the rice and toss well with the butter making sure it is well coated.
(there is no soffritto in this recipe)
Add the beef broth 1 ladle at a time for the first 10 minutes - stirring gently but continuously.
After 10 minutes add the grated lemon peel and add the carnarino one ladle at a time until gone stirring gently and continuously.
Use remaining beef broth to finish if rice is not done.
When just al dente remove from heat and blend in the mantacare - the remaining butter and Parmigiano.

The sauce:
In a frying pan brown 125 gm of pancetta
add 4 large cleaned shrimp per person in a small amount of olive oil.
Add one cup of white wine and evaporate.
Add chopped parsley and 1 1/2 cups cream and reduce until thickened.
Serve over the top of the risotto with parsley and lemon strips for garnish.

sorry, forgot about the mushrooms...
you add them when the onions are golden and fry them a bit before adding the rice!

Paola

It is not risotto, but a typical recipe from Puglia, or better stll in the Bari area it's THE RECEIPE is "riso patate e cozze", or in english "rice, potatoes and mussels", have you ever tasted?

I've not the receipe at the moment, (have to call mu mother), but I guarantee (I'm a notary after all) that is delicious.

I'll be more precise as soon as possible.

Alex & Lyn

You’ll find that you can make risottos pretty much with anything. My friend Marcella from Montecatini Terme once made Risotto con le Fragole and I have to say it was superb, albeit unusual.

My favourites are

Risotto al radicchio rosso
Risotto con tartufo
Risotto verde
Risotto con funghi porcini e salsiccia

I think you can find some additional information on risotto recipes on:

[url]http://www.e-rcps.com/pasta/rcp/ris/index.shtml[/url]

Since my mother is originally from Puglia I can definitely vouch for the dish that Notaio has recommended. If the cozze are fresh and the dish is well prepared then I guarantee that you will be impressed. I can vaguely remember the ingredients but look forward to Notaio’s recipe.

Thanks everyone,

I'm going to try them all over the next few weeks andd I'll let youknoe how i get on !!!

Can't wait for the recipe from Mr. Notary !!!!!!

thanks again
Lyn

I'll try to give you the recipe of "rice potatoes and mussels"

INGREDIENTS:

1 Kg potatoes
1 & 1/2 fresh mussels
5 fists of rice
1 onion
extra virgin olive oil
pecorino grated
dry grated bread
garlic
parsley
8/10 little red tomatoes (pachino type, the one called also ciliegini or cherries)

HOW TO DO IT
put the rice in a bowl and cover it with cold water
meanwhile slice the tomatoes in dishes
wash the mussels and then open them, but don't throw away the water you find inside the mussel and don't separe the fruit of the mussel from its shell.
Wet the bottom of a pan with the oil and put down a layer of potatoes seasoned with parsley, oil, pecorino (just sprinkled) and slced onion.
Then lay down the mussels (with the shells) and cover it all with the rice mixed with tomatoes (sliced) and some mussels (some add also sliced courgette).
Pour on the rice the water that was inside the mussels (you have to filter it before)
Cover the rice with another layer of potatoes, sesoned with oil, parsley pecorino, garlic (not so much) and grated bread
Pour water in the pan and fill it 'till the second layer of potatoes and then put it in the oven already hot (180°)
Cook untill the potatoes on the top became crisp and the water evaporate

I know, it sounds difficult and, well .... it is difficult !
The secret is to find the right balance among rice, potatoes, mussels and the others ingredients, but only making mistakens is possible to learn... :rolleyes:

Thanks so much, notaio ( seems funny calling you that!!)

I will practice and practice until I get it right. My husband and both sons adore mussels, so I have to master this one.

Thanks to everyone...if you have anymore let me know.

Hi all,

Did the Porcini Risotto for lunch..absolutely brilliant ...gonna try the mussel one next week !!!

Thanks for the recipe..feel like an Italian Mamma now, still glowing from the praise !!

My wife and daughter never leave enough of my chilli con carne for three so on the second day I have taken to making a chilli risotto. It's a good way to make the sauce go that bit further. Purists might complain but they really dig the Italia-Mexicana bite, daddy-o! I make the rice with a good beef stock whilst warming the chilli before adding it to the mixture with about eight minutes cooking time left.

On a different matter, I recall hearing that when stirring risotto it is crucial that you only stir in one direction. Is this correct? Is it a superstition? Anyone know the origins of my fact/delusion? Is it clockwise?

The point is that you don't break the rice grains. Arborio rice is very starchy anyway - so stirring one way, is one way of not smashing and mashing the rice. Keep the grains whole. When making any risotto stir carefully, constantly, all of the time

[QUOTE=notaio]I'll try to give you the recipe of "rice potatoes and mussels"

INGREDIENTS:

1 Kg potatoes
1 & 1/2 fresh mussels
5 fists of rice
1 onion
extra virgin olive oil
pecorino grated
dry grated bread
garlic
parsley
8/10 little red tomatoes (pachino type, the one called also ciliegini or cherries)

HOW TO DO IT
put the rice in a bowl and cover it with cold water
meanwhile slice the tomatoes in dishes
wash the mussels and then open them, but don't throw away the water you find inside the mussel and don't separe the fruit of the mussel from its shell.
Wet the bottom of a pan with the oil and put down a layer of potatoes seasoned with parsley, oil, pecorino (just sprinkled) and slced onion.
Then lay down the mussels (with the shells) and cover it all with the rice mixed with tomatoes (sliced) and some mussels (some add also sliced courgette).
Pour on the rice the water that was inside the mussels (you have to filter it before)
Cover the rice with another layer of potatoes, sesoned with oil, parsley pecorino, garlic (not so much) and grated bread
Pour water in the pan and fill it 'till the second layer of potatoes and then put it in the oven already hot (180°)
Cook untill the potatoes on the top became crisp and the water evaporate

I know, it sounds difficult and, well .... it is difficult !
The secret is to find the right balance among rice, potatoes, mussels and the others ingredients, but only making mistakens is possible to learn... :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Do you use a risotto rice or a long grain rice in this recipe?

[QUOTE=Sano]Do you use a risotto rice or a long grain rice in this recipe?[/QUOTE]
a risotto rice.
even a paraboled is good, ie "riso flora"

[QUOTE=notaio]a risotto rice.
even a paraboled is good, ie "riso flora"[/QUOTE]

Thank you. After years of just getting Arborio rice here we now also get the Carnaroli type. I have tried it and must admit that I found it no different to the Arborio, even though it is meant to be much better - the 'creme de la creme' of risotto rices.

[QUOTE=Sano]Thank you. After years of just getting Arborio rice here we now also get the Carnaroli type. I have tried it and must admit that I found it no different to the Arborio, even though it is meant to be much better - the 'creme de la creme' of risotto rices.[/QUOTE]

There are different Italian rices for different types of dishes. Arborio is a good all-purpose risotto rice. I find Carnaroli better for drier risotti - the grains are usually somewhat smaller - and with an excellent flavour. For my tastes however, the numero uno of Italian rices is Vialone Nano, grown in rice paddies between just south of Verona and north of Mantua, especially around the rice growing centre of Isola della Scala.

Vialone Nano is short and plump and has the capacity to absorb up to three times its volume in flavourful cooking liquid. It is the preferred rice of the Veneto and particularly delicious for wet, soupy risotti such as the Venetians' favourite risi e bisi. But we use it for most every kind of risotto - it takes a little longer to cook (sometimes upwards of 30 minutes) but stays firm and al dente yet fully cooked through, without being chalky in the middle.

Marc

I can't wait either for Mr Notary's recipe. It sounds wonderful! Now at the risk of offending a lot of Italians who have been making Risottos from mother's and grandmother's recipes for generations, I must tell you of a method given to me recently by my friend in Rome and that is to cook the whole thing in 7 minutes in a pressure cooker. When she first told me, I was sceptical, because I had always done it the same as all the recipes in the previous threads. However, she assured me it tastes just as good, and having made it that way now about 5 or 6 times, I have to agree. You do as follows:

In a pressure cooker, add two fingers of liquid over the rice and cook under pressure for exactly 7 minutes.

I have always lightly cooked the onion and any other vegetable before adding to the rice, but can't say for certain that this is necessary.

This is a great way of creating something very quickly when guests arrive unexpectantly, as there is usually all the ingredients for a simple risotto already in the house.

Linda

Marc and Ferginitaly, thanks for the advice.

I prefer a 'drier' risotto myself. Not fond of the soupy variety, which is why I never order it in restaurants - it is always too wet for my liking. I will look out for the Vialone Nano strain and give it a go.

I have also heard of risotto being baked in the oven (much like in Notaio's recipe) and it is meant to work well. Also, people round here tend to make their risotto from brown rice - something I have not yet tried but the end result looks and tastes much the same.