When I was a little girl my mother sometimes used to ask me for help in the kitchen, and since I was totally helpless in cutting parsley, onion and garlic with the proper shape and thickness, the only task available for me was stirring (my mum is very proud of her almost invisible chopped garlic while I just don't mind to find huge chunks of onion in my plate ^^).
So my job was stirring, stirring soups, sauces and almost anything that needed stirring, including the very much hated Crema Particcera (which today I'm still unable to cook due to unpleasant stirring experiences)
[how many times did I say stirring in one sentence? XD]
The one and only kind of dish I never refused to stir meticulously and diligently but I rather enjoyed to help with was the risotto. I love risotto, I am a huge fan of pasta but I also love rice (in all its versions), and risotto always had a special place in my heart (and tummy); so one of the first dishes I learnt to cook (along with some basic pasta sauces) was the "Risotto alla Milanese" or saffron risotto, which is still one of my favourites.
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| risotto alla milanese, made and photographed by me |
I find cooking risotto extremely relaxing, and very satisfying; plus, it doesn't take so long, in half an hour you can have a (almost) proper risotto. And while the much hated crema pasticcera (no, it's not custard cream) is a nightmare because even if you stir frantically you can be sure that eventually it will burn or turn out full of lumps, the risotto can actually help you develop skills as patience, creativity and self-esteem.
Patience because you have to stay for 30-40 minutes in front of the pan, stirring continuously, and adding the right amount of stock at the right time, you just can't rush things with risotto U__U
Creativity because once you have learnt the basics of risotto making you can introduce almost whatever ingredients you like, from limes to seafood, all kind of vegetables and more (my winter favourite risotto comes with whole nuts, mushrooms and Gorgonzola cheese).
Self-esteem because a creamy risotto is a great satisfaction, it takes time, care and effort to be made and once it's ready and it's delicious... it makes you proud ^__^
Risotto is generous, risotto repays the attention and care you put in making it, risotto understands (ok, I get carried away XD).
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| cooking lentils&sausage risotto |
I want to share with you some tips I find essential to prepare a perfect, creamy risotto:
- having lightly fried your onion (either thinly or thickly chopped) let your rice toast (yes, we toast the rice, we do not stir fry it) for at least 2 minutes or longer (just make sure your onions do not turn brown), this will help the release of starch and therefore the creaminess of your risotto;
- immediately after toasting the rice and before adding the stock pour 1/2 a glass of wine (white is better) and let evaporate, this will boost the flavour;
- add the stock a little at a time, the rice must not be boiled! You want the rice to absorb all the previous stock before adding more, watch as your rice slowly releases its starch and the thickness start to build up... nice, uh? Just make sure your rice or the onions don't get burned or stick to the pan, if this is happening add a little more stock or add the stock more frequently.
- the final part is the "mantecatura" (= creaming), i.e. the addition of butter and Parmesan cheese to our almost cooked risotto (it usually takes place 2 minutes before removing the pan from the heat) that allows to obtain a creamy and homogeneous appearance.
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| Risotto lenticchie e salsiccia made and photographed by me |
I hope you enjoyed my post, share your love for risotto and leave a comment if you want ^^
