Your first risotto

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Rice
1 Onion
4 cups Canned chicken stock
¼ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Olive oil
½ teaspoon Salt
Generous black pepper

Directions

TECHNIQUE - Sauteeing. BEST COOKWARE - Large saucepan, Dutch oven or 12" skillet. HANDIEST TOOL - Ladle.

Risotto is ladled with mystique. The first thing the risotto police would notice about this recipe is that it uses the wrong rice, and the chicken stock is at the wrong temperature. Tradition calls for short-grain rice from Italy, called Arborio, and warmed broth added intermittently to the hot pan. If all you've got is long-grain rice and no time to heat a can of chicken stock, you won't ruin risotto.

You have to get everything ready before making risotto. Once you start, there are no opportunities to leave the stove.

Measure the rice and have it convenient to the stove.

Peel and halve the onion. Chop the halves into nice-looking, ¼" dice.

Pour the chicken stock into a pot or bowl and set it near the stove with a ladle or 1-cup measuring cup. (If you have time, heat the stock. Because every time you add stock to the rice, you will be cooling the pan. The rice will cook more quickly with heated stock.

You can warm the stock in a 2-quart glass measuring cup in the microwave for 2 minutes on high, or warm it in a pot on the stove.) Measure the Parmesan and chop the parsley. Choose a pretty bowl for serving, and put the Parmesan and parsley near it for quick use.

Put the butter and olive oil in a large pot or skillet. Turn the heat to high.

When the butter and oil are very hot and about to sizzle, add the onion. With the heat high, saute about 2 minutes, until the onion is soft.

Now add all the rice. Stir the grains quickly around the skillet until toasty, a good 1 minute.

With a ladle immediately add ½ cup of chicken stock, which will sizzle. Let it come to a boil, stirring.

When the rice absorbs the stock but the pan still has a small amount of liquid, add another ½ cup of stock. Let it boil again. Don't add more stock until the rice absorbs this addition.

At this point, if the rice is cooking with gentle bubbling, you can reduce the heat to medium.

Continue adding stock in ½-cup increments and waiting for the rice to absorb it, until the rice is plump and no longer firm. You'll have to bite on it. The rice will get creamier and creamier.

You'll be at this about 20-25 minutes. You may or may not use up all the stock. When the risotto is just about done, you'll find yourself stirring more rapidly. It will also draw in less liquid. When you are nearing the end, add the salt and pepper.

Transfer the cooked rice to the serving bowl.

Stir in the cheese.

Sprinkle the top with parsley.

Per serving: 295 calories, 8 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 11 gram fat, 4 gram saturated fat, 13 milligrams cholesterol, 422 milligrams sodium.

Submitted By MICHAEL ORCHEKOWSKI On 08-09-95

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