Basic Creamy Risotto Recipes

THE BEST CREAMY RISOTTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Add the olive oil to a large pot or rondeau over medium-low heat.
• Pour in the onions and cook for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and translucent.
• Add in the garlic and cook for 1 to 2minutes.
• Next pour in the rice and toast for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring every 30 seconds.
• Deglaze with the wine and stir constantly until all of it has been absorbed into the rice.
• Add 4-8 ounces of warm chicken stock at a time to the rice while constantly stirring until it has been absorbed and then repeat the process until the arborio rice is cooked and al dente, or slightly crunch.
• Stir in the cream, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Serve with more parmesan cheese, pepper, and optional parsley garnish.

THE ONLY BASIC RISOTTO RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED

Steps:

• Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan over medium. Reduce heat and keep warm.
• Melt the butter and heat the oil in a large skillet or wide-bottomed pot. Add the rice; stir to coat all the grains, 1 minute.
• Add 1 ladle of broth (½ cup to ¾ cup), stir, and leave it alone until broth is nearly absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. (Run a wooden spoon through it; rice should slowly fill in the channel.)
• Stir, add another ladle of broth, and stir again. Cook undisturbed until the broth is absorbed, 3 minutes. Repeat until about 1 ladle of broth remains, 15 to 18 minutes of total cook time for the rice. Turn off heat.
• Add salt, remaining broth, and cheese. Stir gently for 2 minutes. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, with more grated cheese over top, if desired.

BASIC CREAMY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Saute the onion in melted butter in a large saucepan until tender. Add rice, Chablis, parsley flakes, basil, paprika and onion powder. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Add 1/2 cup broth, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the mixture is creamy and the rice is tender.
• Remove from heat, and stir in 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

BASIC RISOTTO

Steps:

• Pick through the rice to remove any stones or foreign matter, but do not wash the rice before cooking.
• Using a large skillet with a heavy bottom, heat the olive oil over low heat and saute or "sweat" the onions until translucent, being careful not to allow them to color or brown at all. Add the arborio rice, stir to coat with the olive oil, and saute with the onions to toast each grain of rice, about 7 minutes. This toasting process adds the chewy, al dente quality that attracts so many people to risotto.
• Once the rice is lightly toasted, add the white wine slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon. (A wooden spoon is always preferable when making risotto, as a metal spoon tends to cut or injure the grains of rice. Constant stirring should be avoided for the same reason.)
• Preheat the chicken stock just to the boiling point, then have it ready at stoveside. After the rice has absorbed the white wine and the skillet is nearly dry, add one cup of chicken stock, stirring
• occasionally, and cook over very low heat until the stock is absorbed by the rice. Continue adding the stock, a cupful at a time, until all the stock has been absorbed. (Adding the liquid in stages, instead of all at once, allows the grains of rice to expand more fully, adding to the risotto's creamy texture.) Once the rice has been added to the pan, the entire cooking process will take about 17 to 20 minutes.
• After all of the liquid has been added, and the rice is chewy yet fully cooked, with a creamy texture; add the butter, Parmesan cheese, and the heavy cream. Stir to combine all the ingredients and serve immediately.

SIMPLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine broth with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and keep at a bare simmer.
• In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice, and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 2 cups hot broth; simmer over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue adding broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, 20 to 25 minutes total (you may not need all the broth).
• Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper.
• MILANESE: In step 1, add saffron to broth mixture. In step 3, after adding last cup of broth to risotto, stir in peas.
• TOMATO: In step 1, replace broth mixture with tomato juice and 2 cups water.
• MUSHROOM: At the beginning of step 3, in a separate skillet, cook mushrooms with butter over medium-high until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Proceed with step 3, and after adding last cup of broth to risotto, stir in cooked mushrooms.
• SEAFOOD: In step 1, replace broth with clam juice and 2 cups water. At the end of step 3, a few minutes before risotto is done, stir in scallops and shrimp. In step 4, omit the Parmesan.

PARMESAN RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil until tender. Add rice and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in wine. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed. , Add heated broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients; cook and stir until heated through. Serve immediately.

VERY EASY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook green onions in butter briefly, then add the rice. Cook and stir for a few minutes to toast rice. Stir in water, and season with chicken bouillon and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

BASIC RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring broth to boil in saucepan.
• Melt butter in a different saucepan.
• Add onion and garlic to butter, saute until tender.
• Add rice. Saute 2-3 minutes.
• Add white wine. Stir until absorbed.
• Add hot broth 1/4 cup at a time. Stir occasionally until broth is absorbed.
• Continue adding broth in small amounts until all broth is absorbed. This should take 20-25 minutes.
• Try some of the rice. It should be tender but firm.
• When the rice is done, add cheese. Stir until melted and combined.
• Serve immediately.

CREAMY PARMESAN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat chicken stock in a medium saucepan. Keep hot during preparation.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots, and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown. Add the rice, and stir to coat. Cook rice, stirring frequently, until well coated and grains start to appear translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine, and stir constantly until it has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of the hot stock, and cook, stirring constantly, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Then add hot stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next (reserve about 1/2 cup stock for serving). Cook until rice is tender but still firm in the center (a total of 20 to 25 minutes).
• Remove pan from heat, and stir in 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add some of the remaining stock a little at a time to reach desired consistency (it should be fairly loose). Serve immediately, garnished with additional lemon zest, if desired, and Parmesan cheese.