Step-by-step plan for the perfect risotto
Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: step-by-step plan for the perfect risotto.
Making a truly good risotto is harder than it seems. Of course, if you cook rice in broth, the end result is almost always edible. But we won't settle for a thick substance with chunks of zucchini in it. Follow these steps for a perfect risotto.
It's no coincidence that it's called ‘the death dish’ in MasterChef: any contestant who makes risotto gets sent home immediately. There are a few tricky things involved that few people do well.
First of all, a good risotto spreads out on the plate. The substance is almost soupy and not completely overcooked. Does the risotto sit in a stiff lump on your plate? Then something has gone wrong. Additionally, risotto, like pasta, should be cooked al dente. This means that the rice still has a slight bite and is not completely soft.
Perfection of simplicity
Simplicity is the key word in Italian cuisine. Want to add extra ingredients? Do this sparingly, as the risotto rice is the star, not the other ingredients. Add any extras at the very last moment, when the risotto is already fully cooked. Something like spinach can be added raw, while mushrooms or peas should be prepared in a separate pan before being added to the rice.
The rice
It starts with choosing the rice. Risotto rice has a round grain and contains just the right amount of starch to create a creamy risotto. Arborio is the most well-known and readily available. You can find this type in any supermarket, so there's no need to travel to an Italian delicatessen. Unless you're looking for carnaroli, which is actually my favorite rice for risotto, but I usually settle for arborio.
The broth
Risotto is a simple dish with few ingredients, so it's important that all the ingredients are of the best quality. I understand if you don't have homemade chicken broth in your freezer like I do, but the butcher often has good broth for sale as well. Much better than those cubes from the supermarket, you can really taste the difference.
Heat the broth in a pot that you keep on low heat on the stove. If you throw cold broth into a hot pot, you stop the cooking process and everything has to warm up again. Assume that you need about four times as much broth as rice.
The pot
Choose a low pot with a large surface area and a thick bottom. This way, all the grains receive equal heat and cook evenly.
Chopping
For extra flavor, an onion or shallot always goes into the risotto. Chop it finely (into very small cubes), about the size of a rice grain. This way, you won't be chewing on pieces of onion later, but the ingredient will almost disappear into the dish. Sauté the onion until translucent before adding the rice.
Starting
By sautéing the rice for a few minutes in butter and oil (before adding the broth), you develop a roasted and nutty flavor. However, this does change the structure – especially the starch – of the rice, resulting in a less creamy outcome. Risotto gets its creaminess from the starch in the rice, which is released during cooking.
Solution: place the rice in a bowl with cold broth. Stir the rice well and drain. Save the drained broth. Then sauté the rice for a few minutes. This way, some of the starch will go into the broth, and you'll achieve both the roasted, nutty flavor and the creaminess you're looking for during cooking.
Low and slow
After a few minutes, deglaze the sautéed rice with a splash of white wine. Let it reduce and then gradually add the broth bit by bit. Always wait until all the liquid is absorbed before adding another splash of broth. This requires patience, but ultimately results in evenly cooked, creamy risotto.
The risotto should simmer gently and not cook too hard, but if you set the heat too low, the rice will never cook. It's best to keep the heat at medium.
Stirring gently
By stirring, you ensure that the rice doesn't burn and that it achieves a creamy texture as starch is released. But if you stir too much, you break the rice. Stirring also introduces air into the risotto, causing it to cool down and everything to take much longer. Stir enough, but also give your arm a break from time to time.
Al dente
We've touched on this briefly, but the perfect risotto is al dente. Start tasting after about twelve minutes. If you think the rice is almost done but not quite, turn off the heat and add one last spoonful of broth, along with a knob of butter and a good amount of Parmesan cheese.
I now always put the lid on the pot and let it sit for another minute or two. This makes it even creamier and smoother, so it will perfectly fall onto your plate later. Italians describe the texture of risotto as la onda: a wave that slowly washes ashore. Aim for this effect on the plate as well.
Mangia subito
Serve the risotto immediately. If the risotto sits for too long, the starch hardens and you lose the creamy texture you've worked so hard for. Eat it right away! Or as the Italians would say: mangia subito.
Craving?
Apply your newly acquired skills to this saffron risotto, possibly with ossobuco from Anthony Bourdain. A classic combo. Do you have leftovers? Then you can make arancini the next day.
