This way your risotto will never fail again
Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the food lovers of online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat and what to cook. This time our chefs serve you: all the facts, fables and tips about risotto.
Many people don't dare to cook risotto as a simple weekday dish because there are all sorts of rumors attached to it like ‘trouble, complicated’ and so on. What a shame! It's so delicious, after all. And with the information below well noted, I'm sure you'll soon be stirring in such a pot completely zen.
Because once you have the following myths, facts, and top tips in mind, it's just a click away to the detailed description of how to make the best risotto step by step. And believe us: you want this.
Myth 1: It's trouble
Yes, if you're a contestant on Masterchef or something and the nervous sweat is pouring down your forehead and the seconds are counting down on the clock, you can probably think of ten things that are less trouble than having to stay by such a pot. But if you're just at home and you have twenty minutes, a glass of wine, some music on, isn't it just wonderfully meditative to stir in such a pan? It's not difficult, that back and forth movement with your arm, and the ingredients? The simpler, the better.
Myth 2: You need wine
Not at all. Broth alone is fantastic, especially if the broth doesn't come from a cube. We said simple, right? Yes, broth from the butcher or poultry shop: ideal. So even if you don't like alcohol or you're cooking for kids, nothing stands in your way.
Fact 1: Risotto rice is always available
If you really want to go for it, Vialone nano is an excellent rice for making risotto, but it's probably not available at your local supermarket. (That's why we lovingly recommend the Italian wholesaler Appetito in Amsterdam, where you can now also order as a private individual.). But carnaroli is already easier to find and arborio even more so. I even made it once with brown rice (a round grain of course, don't let Emma hear it) and even if you probably can't call it risotto anymore, it was delicious. Tasty earthy and nutty, with mushrooms and arugula and heaps of Parmesan...
Fact 2: There is a ranking of suitable pans
Of course, you can make risotto in a cooking pot with a sturdy bottom, or in a thick Le Creuset, or another fancy casserole, but as cool as those pans are; a sauté pan is really the best. Not too high, so you can easily stir in it, but with upright edges so that things don't slosh over.
Fact 3: It doesn't always have to be according to a recipe
We have plenty of great risotto recipes here on the site, but making risotto can be seen more as a technique. Just like at some point you know how to cook pasta. Once you understand the proportions, the action, and the cooking time, you can riff from there with whatever ingredients you want. But the base is super simple, and with a truckload of Parmesan cheese and a good twist of black pepper, you're basically done.
Bonus tip: Draw a line through it
This tip helps you see when the risotto is ready, and it looks super professional. In the pan, you draw a line through the middle of the risotto with a wooden spatula. If the risotto slowly flows back to the middle and fills the line again, it's ready. Yes, and then taste it of course, right? But this way you don't have to chew on such an undercooked hot grain every time while waiting for it to be nicely al dente.
Tutto bene? Let's get started!
Text: Favorflav
