Risotto (basic recipe)
====================== 2024-08-31


Comment: The basic risotto recipe is immutable. What can change is what we put in it.
Here, the choice is varied. Simply parmesan or mushrooms, or gorgonzola or other cheese, also vegetables, even mussels ...
The risotto does not wait, once ready, it must be served immediately otherwise it becomes pasty. Of course, warmed up, it is even worse.

Risotto with mushrooms: fry (200 to 250 g) mushrooms (sliced), with a little garlic (opt) and add them to the risotto towards the end of cooking.

Gorgonzola risotto: add the gorgonzola (200 to 250 g), cut into pieces at the end of cooking instead of Parmesan. It will not melt fully, which is the goal.

Risotto mushrooms and gorgonzola: the combination of 2 above.

Wild garlic risotto: The one I use was put in a jar in the spring, in the form of a pesto. Wild garlic is also called bear's garlic. 1 teaspoon of wild garlic pesto.

Risotto with black trumpets (dried - 25 g for 4 persons): soak the trumpets 1 hour, then filter the juice and reduce it by 3/4. Add the juice to the risotto stock. Wash, wring out the trumpets, then sauté them briefly with a little butter and salt before incorporating them into the risotto just before the Parmesan.

Lemon Risotto: Cut a head of garlic in half crosswise. In a saucepan, a little EVOO, and melt the garlic over very moderate heat (~20 min or more). Add the stock and either slices of 1/2 lemon without the skin, or 1/4 preserved lemon. Simmer for ~30 min covered. Strain to remove the solids, and proceed as usual for the risotto. You can still add the juice and zest of 1/2 lemon at the end. Lemon goes well with chorizo, briefly brown ~150 g cut into small cubes, let it rest on absorbent paper and add it to the risotto at the end of cooking.

4 people

Ingredients:
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300 g Arborio rice or other risotto rice.
~1 liter of chicken broth or vegetables
1 onion or 2 shallots
2 dl white wine
3 CS EVOO or 40 g butter
           
1 pinch of saffron (opt)
1 teaspoon of turmeric (to color - opt)

60+ g grated parmigiano reggiano
           


Preparation:
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Prepare and heat the broth.

Finely chop the onion or shallot. Sweat it without coloring in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of EVOO and a little salt. Then add the rice, stir well until it becomes translucent.

Add the white wine and allow the rice to absorb it and the alcohol to evaporate.

Add saffron and / or turmeric (opt).

Then add broth a ladle at a time, while stirring, for ~20 to 25 minutes, until the risotto is creamy and all the liquid absorbed.

Pepper, then add the garlic pesto, or the mushrooms, the gorgonzola, etc., then off heat, add the Parmigiano Reggiano, stir well. Check seasoning and serve on a deep plate.