Descripton
Here's the recipe for a basic risotto dish. It can be used to experiment with a variety of flavours. Try different combinations of ingredients such as chopped tomatoes, fresh spinach, pancetta, mushrooms, etc.
Serves | 4 |
Ingredients
6 – 8 shallots, finely chopped
300 g risotto rice
1 glass of white wine
2 pints stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50 g parmesan cheese, grated
Handful of fresh basil
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the chopped shallots until soft. Add the crushed garlic and the risotto rice and cook over a medium heat.
Stir continuously until the rice becomes glassy in appearance. Add the wine which should bubble. Stir the rice and allow the alcohol to evaporate. When the wine has been absorbed, turn the heat down. Add a ladle of stock and continue to stir.
Cook the mixture over a low heat and ensure the risotto mixture is always stirred as this will bring out the creaminess of the rice. Allow the stock to be absorbed and add another ladle of stock. Continue this step by step process until all of the stock has been added and absorbed. When the rice is cooked, stir in the grated parmesan cheese.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the risotto to rest for 1 – 2 minutes. Then serve the risotto – try a garnish of fresh basil.
Tip: For the wine ingredient in this dish, try saving a bottle that's been opened but where the wine is no longer suitable for drinking - rather than throwing the wine away.
