SILKEN RISOTTOS
Like the fruit desserts discussed two weeks ago (Feb. 29, 2024), risottos are another dish perfect for the in-between season that’s early spring. It’s welcomingly warming, when the air still has a chill, yet refreshingly light to satisfy our cravings for change from the heavily fortifying dishes of winter. For me, they’re especially seasonal, because I became a risotto fan on a beautiful, sunny but cold day in March.
I’d eaten risottos, and living in Italy, learned to make them but not being a big fan of rice, I was indifferent, until a certain train ride. I bumped into a friend in the Milan Train Station, and he convinced me to wait for the noon ‘Rapido’ rather than take the regular morning train to Florence. The trains arrived there at about the same time but he insisted the Rapido served a wonderful luncheon.
Having been in Italy long enough to know that, in a country full of ‘foodies’ and great restaurants, when a busy doctor alters his schedule to accommodate a specific meal, it was special. We made reservations in the Dining Car, rather than booking seats, because the high speed train condensed the travel time to just enough for a leisurely lunch.
I had misgivings when I learned the ‘star’ of this feast was a risotto, but was assured it was the best Risotto Milanese in all Italy. Any doubts disappeared when a steaming soup plate was set before me. The contents were creamy, with a lovely golden color and the most tantalizing aroma. Too hot to ‘dig in’ I took tiny spoonfulls from around the edge, in the Italian style of eating a risotto and with each was more converted into a fan. It remains one of my best food memories-ever!
There are two secrets to making risotto. The first, of course, is to use the proper grain of rice. To achieve the creamy texture round rice is best. Round grains can absorb enough liquid to swell three times their size, combining a creamy texture while remaining al dente.
The Po Valley in Italy is the largest rice growing region in Europe and the preferred risotto rice is Vialone nano, which is rarely exported. Gourmet stores may carry Carniola, if possible choose superfino, but the easiest found suitable rice, outside Italy, is Arborio. Chinese markets carry a round grain for their ‘sticky rice’ as well.
The second secret is the practice of adding liquid in increments, while stirring, over a period of time so the rice absorbs each addition before the next goes into the pot. This allows the rice to swell gradually and the flavors of the liquid to infuse the grains. It also allows the natural starch to be released and create the creamy texture.
Italian traditionalists differentiate between ‘classic’ risotto made as directed above and the popular risottos often found on menus, like seafood and primavera. The hallmark of classic risotto is its ‘silky creaminess’. It allows for added ingredients and flavorings but they aren’t permitted to disrupt the General Directions for Cooking Risotto General Directions for Cooking Risotto overall smooth texture. In other risottos, the rice is more of a foil or bedding for the ingredients, as in paella, and frequently the rice is cooked normally with all the liquid added at once.
Since the experience which taught me to love risottos was based, in large part, on the uniqueness of the texture, I’m going to focus on recipes for the ‘classic’ version in this post. I’ll start with the best recipe I’ve ever found for Risotto Milanese from the established expert on Italian cooking, Elizabeth David. She points out there are several versions. Below is the most popular, with a chicken base.
RECIPES**
General Directions for Cooking Risotto: Known as Risotto Bianco when made with water
Step 1-Bring water or stock to a boil, reduce heat and hold at simmer. Remember the liquid must be kept hot all through cooking.
Step 2-Melt butter and/or oil in a heavy pan and sauté onion (and garlic or other flavorings) until soft.
Step 3-Add rice and stir to coat with the fat. Sauté, stirring, for 1-2 min. over medium heat
Step 4-Ladel some of the hot stock into the rice and stir until absorbed. Any other liquids stated in the recipe are added with the broth unless otherwise directed
Step 5-. Repeat until all the stock is gone. Maintain risotto at a simmer but do not let it boil. Add stock in smaller amounts toward the end. Cooking time should be about 30 min. Grains should be slightly al dente and the mixture creamy, not runny. Serve HOT!
Step 6- If substituting a flavored liquid, wine, juice, a reduction, for an equal amount of the base liquid, add it at the end of the cooking or the flavor will be lost in boiling.
**Five of the recipes below are from the Hermes House book Perfect Risotto. They were adjusted to the U.S. system of measurements
Risotto Veronese*: Serves 4-From Italian Food by Elizabeth David
4 servings of Risotto Bianco –kept hot.
Salsa Veronese
2 Tbs. butter-melted
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion-chopped
1 clove garlic-chopped OR ¼ tsp.garlic powder
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley OR 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. flour
½ lb. raw button mushrooms-diced
Sauté the onion, then add garlic, then add parsley in the butter and oil just until soft. Sprinkle flour over d stir to mix well. Add mushrooms. The juice from the mushrooms as they cook should provide enough moisture to make a sauce. If not add a bit of white wine. Spoon salsa, very hot, over risotto, and serve.
*NOTE: A Venetian version of this dish called Risotto Secole, substitutes thin slivers of meat, raw or leftover for the mushrooms
Risotto Milanese:
Serves 4-From Italian Food by Elizabeth David
5 cups simmering stock-chicken-Optionally include ½ cup white wine
Good sized pinch of Saffron threads
6 Tbs. butter
1 onion finely chopped
1 ½ cups Arborio or Carniola rice-See above
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Ladle a little of the broth into a bowl and sprinkle the saffron threads over to infuse. Sauté the onion in 6 Tbs. of melted butter until soft-about 3 min. Stir in the rice and coat well, add the saffron and soaking liquid, and a bit of hot stock, stirring until it’s absorbed. Follow steps 4&5 above. When the rice is ready, stir in 2/3 cup of cheese and reserved butter until mixture is smooth. Serve in a warmed bowl garnished with the reserved cheese.
Shrimp Risotto:
Serves 4
12 large raw shrimp- shelled and cleaned-shells reserved
1 Bay leaf
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 Tsp. whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic-peeled
5 cups water
5 Tbs. butter
2 shallots finely chopped
1 ½ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
1Tbs.tomato paste softened in
½ cup white wine
Salt and pepper
Bring the water to a boil and cook the shrimp for 4 min. until pink. Remove and cool. Add the shrimp shells and the next 4 ingredients to the water and boil for 10 min. Strain. Slice the shrimp in ½ lengthwise and chop all but 4 halves. Sauté the shallots in 4 Tbs. butter until soft, stir in shrimp, add the rice and stir for 1-2 min. Stir in the tomato paste and wine. Begin adding the stock, following steps 4&5 until rice is cooked. Finish with the reserved butter, salt and pepper. Garnish with reserved shrimp.
Chicken and Ham Risotto:
Serves 4
2 Tbs. oil
8 oz. chicken breast in 1 inch cubes
1 onion- finely chopped
1 garlic clove-finely chopped
¼ tsp. saffron threads
2 oz. Parma Ham in thin strips-suitable substitute is prosciutto
2 ¼ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
½ cup white wine
7 ½ cups stock
2 Tbs. butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté the chicken in the oil until it turns white. Reduce heat and stir in the garlic, saffron and ham, stir until onion is soft. Add the rice and stir 1-2 min. to coat. Add the wine, bring to a boil and stir until almost absorbed. Begin to add the stock and follow steps 4&5 until rice is cooked. Finish with butter and garnish with cheese.
Asparagus Risotto:
Serves 4
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 full cup Arborio or Carniola rice
1/3 cup white wine
6 ½ cups vegetable stock
8 oz. asparagus spears in 1 inch slices
4 Tbs. butter
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until softened but not brown-about 10 min. Add the rice and stir for 1-2 min. until coated; add the wine, stir until absorbed and begin to add the stock following steps 4&5. After 10min. add the asparagus stalk pieces and 5 min. later add the tips. When the rice is cooked, finish with the butter and garnish with the cheese.
Pepper Risotto:
Serves 4
3 Red bell peppers, roasted, skinned and sliced
2 Tbs. oil
3 garlic cloves-sliced
(1 ½) 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 Bay leaves
2 ¼ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
6 cups + vegetable stock
6 fresh Basil leaves-snipped
Salt and pepper
Sauté the garlic and tomatoes gently in the oil for 5 min. Add the Bay leaves and peppers and cook for 10 min. more. Add the rice and stir for 2 min. then begin to add the stock following steps 4&5.When the rice is ready, season to taste, remove from heat, cover and allow to stand for 10 min. Stir in the Basil and serve.
Risotto Timbale with Ham and Peas:
Serves 4
6 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion finely diced
1/3 cup ham-finely diced
3 Tbs. parsley
2 garlic cloves-chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
4 Tbs. water
1 ½ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
5 cups vegetable or meat stock
1cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup Fontina cheese-sliced
Salt and pepper
Parsley to garnish
Sauté the onion in the oil and half the butter until soft, add ham and cook for 2 min. add the garlic and parsley and cook for 2 min. Add the peas, seasonings and water and cook covered for 8 min. for fresh peas,4 min. for frozen. Remove lid and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated. Reserve half the peas. Butter a round cake pan and line it with greased paper. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Stir the rice into the pea mixture in the pan and begin adding stock following steps 4&5. Preheat oven to 350 deg. and when rice is ready, stir in seasoning, most of the reserved butter and half the Parmesan. Spoon half the risotto into the prepared pan. Cover with a layer if Fontina, the reserved peas and ham, half the remaining Parmesan and top with the rest of the Fontina slices. Spoon the rest of the risotto over, dot with remaining butter, top with the rest of the Parmesan and bake for 15 min. Let stand for 10 min. To unmold, run a knife around the pan edge and invert onto a serving plate. Tap the bottom of the pan to let the risotto drop out, remove the paper and garnish with parsley. Serve in wedges.
