-
Kirst’s Risotto
1 Large Onion – finely chopped
2 – 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
6 – 8 cups chicken or beef stock
3 – 4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Chorizo – chopped (Spicy or hot works well)
2 – 3 cups cooked Vegetables. (I used cubed pumpkin and kumara roasted)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 head of broccoli (chopped finely)
Measure, chop and gather up all the ingredients.
Warm the stock in a saucepan over a lot heat. It should only just be steaming by the time you start the risotto
Saute your onions in 2 tablespoons of butter until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and any other spices you would like. Cook until fragrant.
Add the chorizo.
Poor the rice into the onion mix, and stir until every grain is coated with butter. Add more butter if needed. Continue stirring the rice until the edges have turned translucent, but the centre is still opaque. You should also be able to smell the aroma of toasted rice.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine. This will add another flavour layer, and will help lift up any bits that have caramelised. Simmer until the wine has completed reduced and the pan is nearly dry.
Begin incrementally adding the warm broth, one ladle at a time. Wait to add another ladle, until the liquid has almost been absorbed each time. This gradual addition of the liquid is the key to getting the rice to release its starch and create its own delicious sauce, so don’t rush this step. Ideally, you want to use just enough broth to cook the rice and no more.
Begin tasting the rice after about 15 minutes to gauge how far it has cooked. Add your vegetables in at this stage.. Add salt and other seasonings as needed. The risotto is ready when the rice is al dente (when it still has a bit of a chew), and the dish is the consistency of thick porridge.
As a final step, add one more ladle of broth along with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Mix all in to make a creamy sauce.
Serve the risotto immediately. The longer it stands, the more the starches will set and you will lose the creamy silkiness.
I served mine with spring onions sprinkle and cut on the top.
