Risotto Recipe

Risotto with prawns and asparagus - made at Colin and Riva's in Sea Point - April 2010

Enjoy, I have always used this basic recipe, before adding my own twist depending on the additional ingredients available in my fridge or store cupboard.




Risotto
Serves 6 – just halve quantities for 2-3 servings
Approx 1.1 litres stock (chicken, fish or vegetable)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots or medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
½ a head of celery, finely chopped
400g risotto rice
2 wine glasses of dry white wine or alternatively just use extra stock
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
70g butter
115g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Stage 1
Heat the stock. In a separate pan heat the olive oil, add the shallots or onions, garlic and celery, and fry slowly for about 4 minutes. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat.
Stage 2
The rice will now begin to fry, so keep stirring. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the wine or stock and keep stirring – it will smell fantastic (if you use the wine). Any harsh alcohol flavours will evaporate and leave the rice with a tasty essence.
Stage 3
Once the wine or stock has cooked into the rice, add your first ladles of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to a highish simmer so the rice doesn’t cook to quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch from the rice, allowing each ladleful to be adsorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes. Taste the rice – is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft, but with a slight bit. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully.
Stage 4
Remove from the heat and add the butter and parmesan. Stir gently. Place lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes. This is the most important part of making the risotto, as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be.

Eat as soon as possible while the risotto retains its perfect texture.