Risotto
Cooking Skills: Rice 1
Chapter 7 · Risotto
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The basics
Risotto is a method, not a particular dish. It needs short, fat, starchy rice (arborio or carnaroli), which releases a creamy starch while the centre stays firm. Add the hot stock in stages and keep the rice moving, and the stirring rubs starch off the grains and into the liquid. The result should be loose and creamy, not stiff, with grains that are tender and still have a little bite (al dente).
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hot stock | Keep it simmering beside the pan | Cold stock stops the cooking and slows the starch release |
| Soften the onion | 5 minutes in oil and butter, no browning | Sweet base without bitterness |
| Toast the rice (tostatura) | 1 to 2 minutes, stirring | Seals the outside of the grains, so they hold their shape |
| Add stock gradually | A ladle at a time, stir until nearly absorbed | Keeps the starch moving, builds creaminess |
| Finish off the heat (mantecatura) | Beat in butter and cheese, then rest 2 minutes | Makes it glossy and creamy |
Wine is traditional in risotto, but it is optional: stock with a squeeze of lemon at the end gives the same sharpness.
Try it
Basic parmesan risotto
Risotto is made by adding hot stock a ladle at a time. The rice releases its starch as it rubs against the grains, and the stock turns it into a creamy sauce. Do not rinse the rice.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 75 g risotto rice (arborio or carnaroli)
- 350 ml hot reduced-salt chicken or vegetable stock (in a pan on a low heat)
- ½ small onion, very finely chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp butter
- 20 g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 pinch black pepper
- Keep the stock hot in a pan beside you, with a ladle.
- Heat the oil and half the butter in a medium pan over a medium-low heat. Soften the onion for 5 minutes without browning.
- Add the rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the grains look glossy and slightly translucent at the edges.
- Add a ladleful of stock (about 75 ml) and stir until it has nearly all been absorbed. Repeat, a ladle at a time, for 16 to 18 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is creamy and tender with a very slight bite.
- Take off the heat. Beat in the remaining butter and the parmesan, add pepper, put the lid on and leave for 2 minutes. It should flow slowly across a plate: add a splash of stock if it is stiff.
Mushroom risotto
Mushrooms hold a lot of water. Cook them hard first, in a dry-ish pan, so they brown instead of stewing.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 75 g risotto rice
- 400 ml hot reduced-salt vegetable stock
- 150 g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp butter
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 thyme sprigs, leaves only
- 15 g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the mushrooms for 5 minutes, without stirring too much, until golden. Add the garlic and thyme for 30 seconds. Tip out onto a plate.
- In the risotto pan, soften the onion in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, as in the basic risotto, for 16 to 18 minutes.
- Stir in the mushrooms for the last 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the parmesan and parsley and rest for 2 minutes.
Spring vegetable and pea risotto
Lemon and fresh vegetables lighten risotto. The vegetables go in at the end so they keep their colour and bite.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 75 g risotto rice
- 400 ml hot reduced-salt vegetable stock
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp butter
- 60 g frozen peas
- 60 g asparagus tips, green beans or courgette, chopped small
- ½ lemon, zest and a squeeze of juice
- 1 tbsp chopped mint or parsley
- 15 g parmesan (optional)
- Make the risotto base as in the basic recipe: soften the onion in the oil and half the butter, toast the rice, then add hot stock a ladle at a time.
- After about 12 minutes, stir in the chopped vegetables. Add the peas for the last 3 minutes.
- When the rice is creamy and tender (16 to 18 minutes in all), take it off the heat. Stir in the remaining butter, the lemon zest and juice, the herbs and the parmesan if using. Rest for 2 minutes.
Baked risotto
The oven does the work: the covered dish traps the steam and the rice absorbs the stock steadily. The result is slightly less creamy than the stirred kind, but you can walk away.
Ingredients (2 portions)
- 150 g risotto rice
- 500 ml hot reduced-salt stock
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 100 g frozen peas or chopped spinach
- 30 g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 pinch black pepper
- Heat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional, gas 6). Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan or casserole with a lid and soften the onion and garlic for 4 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the hot stock, stir, and bring to a simmer.
- Cover with the lid (or foil) and bake for 30 minutes. Stir in the peas or spinach, cover again and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until the rice is tender.
- Stir in the parmesan and pepper, and leave to rest for 2 minutes. Add a splash of hot water if it looks too thick.
Experiments
Constant or occasional stirring
Does risotto really need constant stirring?
- Make two basic risottos. Stir one all the time, and the other for 10 seconds after each ladle and every minute or so in between.
- Taste both when cooked, and compare how creamy and even they are.
Look for: Constant stirring tends to give a creamier result, but occasional stirring can be nearly as good. Decide how much effort it deserves.
Hot stock or cold stock
Why does everyone say hot?
- Make two basic risottos, adding hot stock to one and cold stock straight from the fridge to the other.
- Note the time each takes to become tender.
Look for: The cold-stock risotto takes longer and cooks less evenly, because every ladle drops the pan off the boil.
Rest or serve at once
Is the 2-minute rest worth it?
- Make a basic risotto. Serve half straight away. Cover the rest and leave it for 2 minutes.
Look for: Risotto keeps thickening as it stands. The rested portion is creamier, the first may be looser or slightly grainy.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic parmesan risotto | ||||
| Mushroom risotto | ||||
| Spring vegetable and pea | ||||
| Baked risotto | ||||
| Constant vs occasional stirring | ||||
| Hot vs cold stock | ||||
| Rested vs served at once |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Gluey or stodgy | Overcooked or too little stock | Take it off the heat earlier; loosen with a splash of hot stock |
| Hard, chalky centres | Not enough time or stock | Keep adding stock in small amounts until tender |
| Soupy, watery | Too much stock, or not rested | Boil gently for a minute, or rest it with the lid on |
| Bland | Weak stock, no seasoning | Use good stock, season at the end, add lemon |
| Scorched at the bottom | Heat too high | Lower the heat and stir the bottom regularly |
| Mushrooms rubbery or watery | Cooked at the same time as the rice | Brown them separately first |
- I can make a basic risotto with hot stock added gradually.
- I know why risotto rice is different and why I don't rinse it.
- I can tell when risotto is the right texture.
- I can make a risotto without constant attention (baked).
- I know why it needs a rest.