The Courtship of Risotto

            So we move now into one of the trickier things to attempt in the kitchen, I am talking about risotto. I am a very avid watcher of cooking shows, the shows that actually show people cooking. I really don’t want to know how gummy bears and pop rocks are made, just so you all know. In all of my watching I have seen risotto get the best of really well trained chefs. This is not to say we should not try it at home all I am saying is that if it doesn’t come out perfect you are in really good company. And I am all about the challenge. The reason that I struggled with making risotto is due to my own lack of patience. You need to take your time with this dish and keep a close eye on it. I you don’t you will end up with something that is less than great. You may ask yourself: Is the time that I am putting in worth it? The answer is yes it is. When done well it is worth both your time and your effort. Above and beyond that, when you get it right you get that feeling that you can accomplish anything in the kitchen. That feeling is priceless.

            There are three steps to cooking risotto. As explained by my go to Italian food reference guru Mario Batali in his books they are: rossalare, coucere, and mantecare. To put it into terms that I can grasp a little better I look at cooking risotto like a relationship. The first step, rossalare, is gently toasting your rice. It is like the first couple of dates; you are warming up and starting to share. The rice will turn opaque and your kitchen will start to fill with a wonderful nutty aroma. If you toast to aggressively your rice will burn, the girl will not return your phone calls and this is bad because you really wanted this to work out. Now it is on to the courtship. You know one another and you are moving in a good direction. You buy the girl flowers, take her out for a meal or two and just generally want to do nice things for her. It is the time for coucere. This means that you are going to start adding stock to your rice. Every ladle is a little something to let the rice feel the love. If you don’t add enough you are a callous bastard and it is ruined. If you do add too much, too fast you are needy and desperate and it is ruined. Just a little at a time and you are golden. Now, big finish, you are going to pop the question or in risotto terms mantecare. This is a lavish display of affection, in a relationship that means a ring, for risotto that means adding some good stuff. It could be melted leeks, chantarelle mushrooms, some crispy pancetta or just a bit of butter. This is the stuff that puts your risotto over the edge into awesome territory. There you go, risotto is like a relationship. Now we are on to a recipe.

Simple Risotto to the tune of “In Your Light” by Gotye

1 cup Arborio rice

4-6 cups of stock, either chicken or vegetable

2 tbsp butter

-toast your rice gently over medium heat in a large sauté pan, move it around a lot so that the toasting is even.

-heat your stock over medium low heat as you are toasting your rice

- add your stock one ladle at a time and stir constantly, once the liquid has been absorbed add another ladle. Continue doing this until the rice is cooked to al dente. I recommend that you taste as you go that way you have a frame of reference.

-Add a touch more stock, your butter, and a pinch of salt to season and stir to combine. The end result should be creamy and spread out on the plate when you serve it.

            As I said before you can add whatever you like to the risotto to make it yours as long as you don’t forget the butter. It adds a little bit of richness that is, in my mind essential. Give it a go and remember that if you give it some care and attention you will be rewarded.