Basic Risotto Recipe - Jamie Oliver
- Ready In:
- 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 1 liter chicken stock (or vegetable as appropriate)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 shallots, finely chopped (or 2 medium onions)
- 1 head celery, finely chopped (discard any tough outer sticks)
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 0.88 lb risotto rice
- 1⁄2 cup dry white vermouth or 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 0.15 lb butter
- 0.22 lb freshly grated parmesan cheese
directions
- Stage 1.
- Heat the stock.
- Then in a separate pan heat the olive oil add the shallot or onion celery and a pinch of salt and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and after another 2 minutes when the vegetables have softened add the rice.
- Turn up the heat now.
- At this crucial point you can`t leave the pan and anyway this is the best bit.
- While slowly stirring continuously you are beginning to fry the rice.
- You don`t want any colour at any point (so remember you`re in control and if the temperature seems too high turn it down a bit).
- You must keep the rice moving.
- After 2 or 3 minutes it will begin to look translucent as it absorbs all the flavours of your base (it may crackle at this point that`s fine).
- Add the vermouth or wine keeping on stirring as it hits the pan it will smelt fantastic!
- It will sizzle around the rice evapourating any harsh alcohol flavours and leaving the rice with a tasty essence.
- I must admit I`m a sucker for dry vermouth. When it cooks into the rice it seems to give it a really full but subtle flavour and leaves a wicked sweetness that works perfectly with the rice. White wine is lovely probably more delicate and fresh.
- Try both see what you think.
- Stage 2.
- Once the vermouth or wine seems to have cooked into the rice add your first ladle of hot stock and a pinch of salt (add small amounts of salt to taste white you are adding the stock).
- Turn down the heat to a highish simmer (the reason we don`t want to boil the hell out of it is because if we do the outside of the rice wilt be cooked and fluffy and the inside will be raw).
- Keep adding ladlefuls of stock stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next.
- This will take about 15 minutes.
- Taste the rice is it cooked?
- Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite.
- Check seasoning.
- Stage 3.
- Remove from the heat and add the butter and the Parmesan saving a little of the latter to go on top if you like.
- Stir gently.
- Eat it as soon as possible while it retains its moist texture.
- Serve it on its own or with a crisp green salad and a hunk of crusty bread.
- If you follow this recipe I promise you`ll be making some of the best risottos out. The real secret of a good risotto I`m afraid is that you have to stand over it and give it your loving and undivided attention for about 17 minutes but it`s worth it. The recipe is in stages; I am going to give you five of my favourite risottos all variants of this basic recipe.
- To find a dry white wine, a good rule of thumb is the greater the alcohol %, the drier the wine.
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Reviews
-
I LOVE risotto! I am experienced with cooking it. Your recipe is written perfectly for a beginner's first experience (So if YOU are looking for a new and delicious recipe, try this! It looks long and complicated, but trust me it isn't!) Thanks for sharing sha_carsie. Made for Pick A Chef Spring 2011.
Tweaks
-
I saute a goodly amount of sliced baby bella mushrooms in rosemary olive oil ahead of time, and set aside. After the risotto dish is ready I fold in the sauteed mushrooms and the juicy olive oil that resulted from precooking. This extra ingredient makes a flavorful addition to the risotto dish. I also like to use a blend of Italian cheeses (including Asiago) for a little extra bite. The Parmesan alone is good, but I like the blend a bit more.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
A true foodie.. but still a newbie