COOK WITH CONFIDENCE

Risotto

Made with storecupboard ingredients, this Italian classic is quick, easy and comforting. Once you’ve learned the basics, adapt it with different types of veg or meat

For our risotto recipes and a how-to video, go to bbcgood foodme.com

THE BASE

For four generous servings, you need 300g risotto rice to about 11/2 litres of stock. The amount of liquid may differ slightly according to how quickly it cooks, but if you heat 11/2 litres, you will always have enough. Generally, a chopped onion is cooked before the rice is added to the pan, the stock is added in increments and the risotto is stirred to release the starch from the rice that thickens the liquid to make it creamy. Risottos can be vegan but are generally finished with parmesan.

THE RIGHT RICE

For a creamy risotto, use semi-round risotto rice, as it absorbs liquid and flavour and releases starch far better than other long-grain rice. It’s usually pale, stubby and smooth. Some recipes might specify a type of rice, but they are usually interchangeable. • Arborio is the most widely available and easiest to cook. • Carnaroli is considered the best as it retains its bite and is hard to overcook. • Vialone Nano is a starchier, smaller rice that takes slightly longer to cook.

TOP TIPS

• Risotto should simmer quickly and evenly. Use a wide, shallow, thick-bottomed pan to keep the liquid from evaporating too soon – a sauté pan is ideal. • While cooking the rice, keep the stock at a gentle simmer to ensure the risotto stays at a stable temperature. Adding cool stock will mean the risotto takes longer to cook. • You don’t need to stir constantly, but doing it frequently is important as it massages the starch out of the rice, thickening the liquid and giving it a creamy texture. • Risotto will only be as good as its ingredients, and at its base should be a well-flavoured stock. Use fresh if available, or high-quality shop-bought. • For families that eat at different times, cook the risotto most of the way, then leave to cool and finish individual portions in more stock.

THE FINAL FLOURISH

The way a risotto is finished is key. A method called ‘mantecare’ in Italian means leaving the risotto off the heat to rest for a minute with butter and cheese melting through it, then beating them into the rice to enrichen and thicken the risotto just before serving.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN

• Flavour the stock The stock will determine the base flavour. Adding stalks or peelings from the vegetables used in the risotto is a great way to cut food waste. • In with the onions Robust vegetables like leeks, fennel and mushrooms can be chopped and cooked with the onion before adding the rice. • Towards the end More delicate ingredients like peas, asparagus or prawns, that only need a few minutes cooking, can be added with the last splash of stock. • The end This is the time to add ingredients that bring freshness, like grated lemon zest and chopped soft herbs, just before stirring (or beating in) the butter and cheese.

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