Basic Risotto
Photo: frank wouters from antwerpen, belgium, CC BY 2.0
Basic risotto is the Italian method that turns plain rice, onion, wine and stock into something creamy without any cream. Rice reached the Po plain around six centuries ago, and northern cooks have been refining the technique since. The structure is simple: a gentle soffritto, slow additions of simmering stock, and a hard stir of butter at the end. Learn this version and every variation follows from it.
Instructions
Soften the chopped onion slowly over medium heat in a little butter or olive oil. Keep the heat gentle so it turns soft and pale without browning. This base is called a soffritto.
Stir in the rice and cook briefly until the grains look translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the wine and let it cook away over a hot pan, taking care that neither the rice nor the onion scorches. The liquid will thicken as the rice releases its starch, and it is ready for stock when it has almost disappeared.
Add a little hot stock at a time, stirring constantly, and add more as each addition is absorbed. The rice should never be covered with stock. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Taste a few grains. The rice should be soft but still have a slight bite so you can feel each grain. Spooned onto a plate, the risotto should spread slowly: if it stays in a mound, add more stock, and if liquid seeps out around it, cook it down a little longer.
Take the pan off the heat and let the risotto rest for about a minute.
Beat in the remaining butter in small pieces, stirring hard and tasting as you go to judge how much it needs. Adjust the salt and pepper. This final step is the mantecatura.
Serve straight away while the rice is loose and creamy.
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