Risotto

[Suffs Profile]

I keep seeing (mainly on tv ... haven't eaten out in an age) risotto being served as an accompaniment rather than as a course on its own ............ I'm really not keen on that .... for example, on Masterchef last night a goat cheese and tomato risotto was served with salmon ....... really not a good idea texturally or with the match of flavours IMHO. I've seen similar dishes produced by professional chefs. What do others think?

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Well, plain saffron risotto is as I said the classic accompaniment for Italian osso bucco, and it’s hard to think of a better one

Goat cheese and salmon does not sound good, but a simple asparagus or pea risotto topped with some kind of grilled seafood could be excellent I think, I wouldn’t rule out risotto as part of a well planned plate at all

I.m going to have to make a risotto I think

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I’m trying to remember the name of the restaurant on the canal at the back of Kings Cross statio which had a predominately Italian menu. It won’t come, closed a couple of years ago. My sister and I went after having watched the stage adaptation of The Railway Children and we had the best risotto ever. It had truffles in it and looked totally disgusting but my, it was good.

Pampy, I’m still looking . . .

[Kacey Profile]

Now I know what to do with the fennel I need to use up!

[scullion Profile]

Delia does a mushroom risotto that’s cooked in the oven.

julia childs (in 'mastering the art of french cooking') also does a risotto in the oven.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

julia childs (in 'mastering the art of french cooking') also does a risotto in the oven.

And there´s the problem. French cooking, not Italian.

[scullion Profile]

yeah, but rice pudding is rice pudding - sweet or savoury - wherever it comes from.
i've made risotto with pudding rice when i've run out of arborio - comes out exactly the same - savoury rice pudding (and cheaper with pudding rice!).
i'm feeling an arancini need coming on.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

Raymond Blanc always reckons that the amount of stirring in the traditional method of risotto making is unnecessary, but as has been discussed recently, he's French you know...

There's a stunning recipe for pea risotto in Kew on a Plate though!


Generic 'Risotto rice', pudding rice and Sushi rice all seem to be short grain Italian rice and strike me as pretty much interchangeable for all three purpose, just marketed at different price points. I don't know if they are none, one or more of the named risotto varieties.

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Is anyone able to point me in the direction of a risotto recipe made in an Instant Pot? I like risotto and would like to give it a try in the IP.
A number of years ago, I saw Gino D'Acampo making risotto on tv - he just put all the stock in at once and just occasionally stirred it. He said that it produced results just as good as that done by the stirring method. How true that is, I don't know.

If no-one has got there before me Pampy :

Mushroom Risotto

1 TBspn OO
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
250g cups Arborio rice
1 stock cube made up with 600ml water
75ml dry white wine
1 tspn salt
1 tspn dried thyme
200-250 gms mushrooms of choice, chopped
freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon
3 handfuls fresh spinach
55g grated mature cheddar cheese (parmesan)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Press sauté on the IP and add oil, then onions and garlic and fry for 3 mins
Add rice and stir well. Add stock, wine, salt, thyme and mushrooms
Stir ingredients to ensure they are thoroughly mixed
Secure lid and set to manual or High pressure for 6 minutes, then release using QPR
Once pressure is released, open and stir in lemon juice, spinach and cheese and season to taste.

I have the book called The Modern Multi-cooker Cookbook. sponsored by Instant Pot.

I have joined the FB group called Instant Pot (UK) Community... a great source of advice, recipes and tips

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Thanks Pat. That looks like the one.

[Seatallan Profile]

Yum Patsy!

I do love a risotto. Chicken liver is perhaps my favourite. I wish Mr S was keener on them but he's a bit take it or leave it.

[Pampy Profile]

Brilliant - thanks Patsy - and thanks PP for telling me about it in the first place.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

late - and probablt slightly daft - question

Has anyone successfully frozen risotto? I suspect is would be baby food when thawed but I might try it if I have leftovers

[Kacey Profile]

Well cooked rice freezes ok. It's worth a try for leftovers, if its thaws too 'babyfood-ish' you could use it as a stuffing perhaps?

[WWordsworth Profile]

Now I know what to do with the fennel

Fennel and lemon risotto with a touch of sage is delicious.

[WWordsworth Profile]

anyone successfully frozen risotto?

When Mum's appetite all but disappeared I would batch cook for her on each visit, and freeze it in tiny portions.
As in a saucer full.

The carers could take a dinner and a pudding out for her and she would eat it because I made it.

Asparagus risotto was a favourite.
It looked fine when thawed but I never tasted it.

She needed calories (6 stone) so I also made a vat of raspberry posset, left a bowlful in the fridge and froze the rest in small amounts.

I did try that, it was like a posh ice cream.
She loved it.

[Kacey Profile]

I'd looked at a recipe for Fennel, lemon & rosemary risotto but in the end stuck to the basics, onion, fennel, garlic and ouzo instead of white wine. delish.

[Pampy Profile]

I've frozen it. If you freeze it fully cooked, it tends to be rather "claggy" so I've started to freeze it before it's finished, then after defrosting, finish it off with more stock and then add butter and Parmesan.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I´ve frozen it, but used it for arancini afterwards.

[Lokelani Profile]

This one starts on the hob but then goes in the oven. I made it last night. I was impressed that the amount of liquid was just right. I checked it expecting to find it too wet or too dry, but no it was perfect.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/smo ... ek-risotto

When tasted at the end I decided it needed quite a bit of lemon juice to lift it. It was mild & creamy but needed a bit of a bite. Parmesan would have been lovely too.