Risotto

Oh risotto, how I love thee....let me count the ways! The best part about risotto is that it is an empty palate, capable of matching any dish and any taste. Here is a recipe for basic risotto with a few variations to follow.

Risotto for 2

2 1/2 handfuls arborio rice
1 Tbls butter
1 Tbls EVOO
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
About 1/2 cup dry white wine
About 2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
About a handful of grated Parmiggiano Reggiano

In a large skillet, heat butter and EVOO over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add dry rice and saute until kernels are translucent around the edges. Add half of the wine and stir until absorbed. Once absorbed, add rest of the wine. Once that is absorbed, add broth about 1/2 a cup at a time, each time waiting for all of it to absorb and constantly stirring. Once rice is cooked all the way through, season with salt, pepper and parmiggiano. Serve immediately.

You can add just about anything to risotto! A lot of times in the winter, I'll add chicken and butternut squash at the same time as the rice. (This way does require more liquid). Also, adding chicken and diced asparagus at the beginning is very tasty. Towards the end you can add zucchini or squash. Many times I'll add a can of diced tomatoes with sauce in the middle of the cooking process to give it a tomato base. I also love to add cooked shellfish, like shrimp, mussels, clams and scallops on top of a tomato based risotto. The possibilities are endless! Let me know how you like to cook yours!