We all have a certain, food, smell, or flavor that makes us feel safe and comfortable. For some it’s chocolate, or chicken noodle soup, or even your mom’s meatloaf. After a busy day a the office and at home, I was in dire need of my comfort food: risotto. I love it’s creaminess and fresh out of the pan warmth…it was exactly what the doctor ordered.
If you haven’t made risotto before, have no fear. It is relatively easy, although it does need regular attention during its preparation. The upside is that you can make an infinite number of variations on the basic recipe. So gather your ingredients and let’s get started! You’ll need olive oil, Arborio rice (2 cups), 6 cups chicken broth, and salt and pepper for the basic recipe. For mine, I also used 1 cup sliced mushrooms, turmeric for color, Comte cheese (shredded), and a dash of heavy cream.
First step is making your broth. I started by making a 6 cup batch of broth using three cubes of chicken bouillon. After my broth was done, I set it aside. I then heated about tbsp. of olive oil in a heavy bottom pan on medium (I have gas so sometimes it’s hard to tell how hot I have it). Once the oil was heated, I poured in my rice, stirring to coat for about 2 minutes. Do not let the rice burn!
Next pour in one cup of broth. Occasionally stir your rice. Once the broth is absorbed, our in another cup. You continue to pour a cup at a time, letting the rice absorb the majority of the liquid until you add another cup.
When I have two cups of broth remaining, I add in my mushrooms or whatever other veggies you want to add, along with my turmeric. This particular spice lends a lovely color to the dish.
Once my broth is roughly 90% absorbed I throw in dash of heavy cream and ½ cup of shredded Comte cheese. I turn my heat to low, stirring so all ingredients are melted, absorbed, and well-mixed. Then I spoon in to a bowl, garnish with parsley sprigs and more shredded Comte, and eat! Total cook time is roughly 35-45 minutes.
Feel free to modify your risotto by tossing in a little prosciutto or salami, using different veggies, tossing in pine nuts, and/or substituting Comte for blue, brie, or whatever else you have on hand. Enjoy!
