Basic Creamy Risotto Recipes

THE ONLY BASIC RISOTTO RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED

Steps:

• Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan over medium. Reduce heat and keep warm.
• Melt the butter and heat the oil in a large skillet or wide-bottomed pot. Add the rice; stir to coat all the grains, 1 minute.
• Add 1 ladle of broth (½ cup to ¾ cup), stir, and leave it alone until broth is nearly absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. (Run a wooden spoon through it; rice should slowly fill in the channel.)
• Stir, add another ladle of broth, and stir again. Cook undisturbed until the broth is absorbed, 3 minutes. Repeat until about 1 ladle of broth remains, 15 to 18 minutes of total cook time for the rice. Turn off heat.
• Add salt, remaining broth, and cheese. Stir gently for 2 minutes. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, with more grated cheese over top, if desired.

PARMESAN RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil until tender. Add rice and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in wine. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed. , Add heated broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients; cook and stir until heated through. Serve immediately.

CREAMY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat water and broth in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and cook until soft. Add rice and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; stir until absorbed. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in 1 cup water-broth mixture. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed. Continue stirring and adding remaining water-broth mixture, 1 cup at a time, allowing each cup to be absorbed before adding another. Cook until rice is tender and mixture has a creamy consistency, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
• Stir in cream, cheese, salt, pepper and remaining butter. Stir until mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

BASIC CREAMY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Saute the onion in melted butter in a large saucepan until tender. Add rice, Chablis, parsley flakes, basil, paprika and onion powder. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Add 1/2 cup broth, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the mixture is creamy and the rice is tender.
• Remove from heat, and stir in 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

BASIC MICROWAVE RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a 3 quart, microwave safe casserole dish combine butter, garlic and onion. Place dish in microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes.
• Place vegetable broth in a microwave safe dish. Heat on microwave until the broth is hot but not boiling (approximately 2 minutes).
• Stir the rice and broth into the casserole dish with the onion, butter and garlic mixture. Cover the dish tightly and cook on high for 6 minutes.
• Stir wine into the rice. Cook on high for 10 minutes more. Most of the liquid should boil off. Stir the cheese into the rice and serve.

CREAMY, CHEESY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm chicken broth either on stove or in microwave.
• In a 2 quart saucepan or large skillet (non stick works well) heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute for 1-2 minutes until softened.
• Raise heat to medium high, add rice and salt, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, until rice just begins to turn slightly golden in color.
• Add wine and stir until almost completely evaporated.
• Begin adding chicken broth, about 1/2 cup at a time.
• After each 1/2 cup addition of broth, stir frequently, until broth is almost evaporated and add the next 1/2 cup.
• Do the same for each addition of broth, stirring frequently.
• Begin tasting the rice for doneness during the last two additions of broth for tenderness--it should be al dente-tender with a slight bite to it.
• If rice is not done after the last addition, continue cooking as above adding additional 1/2 cups of broth until done. The entire process should take about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in cheese, cayenne and pecans or pine nuts. You can also add the additional teaspoon of butter if you want it extra rich at this point.
• Adjust the salt if needed, remembering that there is a lot of salt in cheese and possibly in the type of broth you use.
• Serve hot.