Risotto is one of my favorite foods. It is generally made with a medium grain rice and it is stirred constantly while cooking to coax out the starch to give it a nice and creamy texture. Risotto is pretty versatile in that you can add pretty much any flavours that you want. It can be anything from a side dish to a light meal or even a full meal. I have made risotto many times and enjoyed it each time. This time I made a pretty basic risotto to be a side dish or a bed for the chicken cacciatore . Making it with the chicken cacciatore worked out well as I could pay attention to the risotto while the chicken was braising. One of the keys to a nice risotto is to use a good quality stock and I like to use home made chicken stock when making a basic risotto. This risotto turned out really well! It was one of the creamiest risottos that I have made. It was nice and cheesy and full of flavour and went really well with the chicken cacciatore.
Risotto
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (chopped)
- 1 cup arborio rice (or other medium or short grained rice)
- 1/2 cup wine
- 2 cups chicken stock (warm or vegetable broth)
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt & pepper to taste
directions
- Heat butter in large sauce pan.
- Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter.
- Add the wine, deglaze the pan and stir while simmering until it is gone.
- Add 1/2 cup of the stock at a time and stir while simmering until it is gone. Continue until the rice is al dente.
- Add the parmigiano reggiano and butter and stir to combine.
Risotto = ultimate comfort food.
This looks so good and creamy.
What a Creamy and mouthwatering dish kevin !! love at first sight ?
Very well done Kevin 🙂 Over here, instead of garlic, I use celery, but garlic sounds nice too 🙂
mmmm, i do love risotto. it’s perfect on its own, or delicious combined with almost anything! i love the shaved parm on top! so pretty 🙂
I love simple meal like this risotto, it doesn’t even need anything else!
I love how you make a couple of posts out of one meal. Making risotto is like making your own mayonnaise…I’m always amazed that I could pull it off!
Nothing tastes as good as risotto with good cheese…nothing. If you care for broccoli, a favorite variation of mine is to stir in some chopped florets about halfway through–goes perfectly with the cheese and everything else. Oh, I love risotto! Your photo makes me want to whip up a batch right now. Has anyone figured out a way to reheat it and not be gummy?
U make risotto sound easy.I never try this dish b4,it’s look like congee..must try one day!
Risotto is one of those meal that I don’t make but like to eat it. This looks really yummy Kevin.
Your risotto looks soooooo gooooood.
I also love risotto, but I do not cook is very often since it takes some time to prepare and has to be consumed fresh from the pot.
But this is so comforting and delicious dinner option. And I love, love, love garlic but certainly I would omit garlic in my risotto. I always do that. Somehow I believe that this taste does not suit the whole risotto theme.
I love Risotto and yours looks delish Kevin!!
Gorgeous! The texture is perfect!
Cheers,
Rosa
wonderful… you really are good!!! 🙂
I absolutely love risotto as well. mmmmmm wish I was making some tonight.
looks so good !!
Love risotto. Creamy indeed!
The risotto looks great. Nice side dish…..
It’s rainy and yucky and risotto would be a perfect thing for today. I just never realized how versatile it could be.
That does look nice and creamy. I’ll be making chicken cacciatore on Friday. I make it every year for the first night my family comes to visit.
i love risotto 🙂
That looks sooo yummy and creamy…gotta try this one!
ooooooooh i adore risotto! it looks so cheesy!
Bravissimo!
Risotto is so comforting. When we were in the south of France, our hotel’s Italian chef made amazing risotto and I ate their risotto everyday for 5 days! I love your pea and barley one, i’ll defenitely be trying it.
Basic risotto has to be my all-time favorite side!
It’s one of my favourite things too. And this one looks just perfect!
I am really drawn to the chunks of cheese on the top. Most people put little slivers, I like the way you did it way better. lol
Risotto is one of my favorite things to cook everr and I’ve done it a hundred different ways. This is a fabulous recipe for a standard risotto and it looks delicious!
Sues
Kevin I could just dip my spoon into your risotto scooping up a Parmesan shaving in the process. 🙂
Kevin this risotto look fantastic!!! Gloria
This risotto looks really creamy, Kevin. Do you ever have problems making risotto that contains celery? Ward likes making risotto a lot, too, but he recently met his match in one that required celery. But we find as long as he stays clear of celery, it turns out well!
I LOVE risotto and have about 15 recipes in my blog. My favorites are cauliflower-leek risotto, and caramelized onion-spinach risotto. Oh, and roasted red pepper-spinach risotto. The Gorgonzola shiitake risotto was great too. I can’t pick just one!
This fall weather is a perfect setting for your risotto! I haven’t had it in ages! Yours looks thoroughly creamy and delicious.
I just can’t keep up with you Kevin….so many delicious recipes and so little time:D
Risotto is comfort in a bowl and perfect for our cold Canadian winters.
I’ve still never made risotto. I don’t know why I am so afraid…this recipe makes me want to try.
i really enjoy risotto as well. great complement to the chicken cacciatore
I had risotto when I was in Rome – that the only time i tried it .. dont dare attempt it at home cos I am soo lousy in the kitchen!
Risotto is my favorite winter food I think I could eat it 3 times a week.
I have to say that risotto is quite amazing and oh so soothing!
I keep threatening to make a risotto, and I still haven’t gotten on with it yet. Yours looks lovely, Kevin.
wow…never tried to make risotto before…i should give it a try sometime ^_^
I have never cooked nor eaten Risotto,I hear it is wonderful.
I’m still yet to make risotto, looks delicious 🙂
This looks really good! I regularly make risotto as a side dish, and I’m just now expanding into “dinner” risottos which (while not strictly the Done Thing in Italy) give me a beautiful one-dish meal that can be made on a busy evening and rounded out with a green salad. This is one we like: http://www.oneforthetable.com/oftt/stories/obama-and-risotto-with-chicken-and-bacon.html (you have to read past the political part to get to the recipe).
I’m not sure you’ll even see this comment since I’m just now finding this post, but …
I’ve never stirred risotto the whole time it cooks and it turns out really well. Do you consider it a necessity to stir continuously or is it optional?
Also, why chicken stock instead of broth? Is it a matter of creaminess?
Michelle C: When I am feeling lazy or if I have to many things to do I will often skip the stirring and the risotto turns out fine. The stirring is supposed to help release the starches and make the risotto nice and creamy. When the kitchen is not super hot, I somethings enjoy standing there stirring while enjoying a glass of the wine that went into the risotto.
I tend to use stock because I make it more often than broth and when making risotto I like to use a nice tasty homemade one. I have used store bought broth and stock though and they still make a tasty risotto.
Thank you for responding!
I often have a toddler at my feet or a 7 year old on my heels, so I’m not sure I can always stir it nonstop, but I’ll definitely give it a try next time.
I always have low sodium chicken broth (cans) on hand, and haven’t made my own broth or stock. Ignorance is bliss I guess … If you haven’t tasted better, you don’t know any better 😉
I made this for a second time last night for my roommates and mom. We had it with swordfish. It was one of the best meals that I've ever had at home!!! You've done it again Kevin!!!