Risotto Step by Step
Risotto is a great store cupboard go to and a really easy way to use up bits in the fridge- you need minimal ingredients to make a really satisfying meal. Make sure that you use risotto rice and take your time over it
Servings
2-3
Ready In:
45 mins
Lever:
Beginner
Skills covered
Knife skills, sautéing, rice cooking, seasoning
Risotto
By: Chloe Coker
Risottos take time and attention to make. The key to a rich and creamy risotto is to use good quality rice and to constantly stir the rice, while adding the stock bit by bit. Give it some care and attention and you will have a delicious meal made from a few storecupboard basics. Follow our step by step and add seasonal veg, bacon, roasted veg or bits of cheese that need using up
Instructions
*Serves 2-3. Double up the quantities of rice and stock to serve more people
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Ingredient |
Method |
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1 |
Butter / oil and onion
Additional veg / meat |
25g butter / oil 1 small onion, finely diced
Leeks, tomatoes, spring veg, peas, pancetta |
Place the butter/oil, onion and any additional meat or veg in a pan over a low heat and fry for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent |
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2 |
Rice |
300g risotto rice (arborio or carnaroli) |
Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes |
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3 |
Wine |
Optional: 60ml wine |
Add the wine and stir until the wine has been absorbed
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4 |
Stock |
1 litre hot stock (use chicken or vegetable stock). *You may not need the full amount for the finished dish but have it ready |
Place the stock in a separate pan and keep warm on a low simmer. Add the stock one ladle at a time, stirring continuously. Allow all of the stock to be absorbed before adding the next ladle. Continue to add the stock until the rice is just cooked and creamy. This will take about 20 minutes. |
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5 |
Extras |
Fresh herbs / goats cheese / pureed roasted vegetables / roast vegetable chunks / fried fresh vegetable such as asparagus |
Stir in |
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6 |
Butter and parmesan |
15g butter, 30g grated parmesan |
Stir in the butter and parmesan cheese |
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COVER AND REST FOR 5 MINUTES THEN SERVE |
A Few Example Recipes
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Mushroom Risotto |
25g dried porcini mushrooms: soak for 20 minutes in a litre of boiling water (use this to make your stock) and 150g chestnut mushrooms (fry with the onions). |
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Spinach and goats cheese |
100g baby leaf spinach, washed and chopped and 100g goats cheese (stir through at step 5) |
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Pea and pancetta |
Fry the pancetta with the onion and add a handful of frozen peas half way through cooking the rice |
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Tomato (vegan) |
Add 3 diced tomatoes (optional: 1 diced pepper), 1 tbsp tomato puree (optional: pinch of chilli flakes) at step 1. Add chopped parsley at step 5 and finish with a squeeze of lemon and (optional: some chopped capers). Leave out the parmesan and butter at step 6 |
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Butternut squash |
Preheat the oven to 180*c. Chop half of the squash into small chunks and roast the other half whole. Scoop out the flesh of the half the squash and make into a puree. Add the puree and cubed roasted squash at step 5. Finish with some fried sage leaves. |
Tips, Tricks and Teaching Info
Risotto Rice
Use the correct rice – buy risotto rice such as arborio or carnaroli
Keep Stirring
A classic creamy risotto does not contain any cream – the creaminess comes from constantly stirring the rice as it cooks and from adding butter and parmesan at the end