Risotto is one of those dishes that you don't make ahead of time. You make it while you are talking to your guests and it's part of the entertainment. You have all of your ingredients ready, and there you are, cool, collected, creative and all you're doing is making a delicious dish right in front of your guests eyes. It's dinner and a show!
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare veggies. Chop them into small pieces. You want a piece or two to fit on a fork with the rice. My friend Nancy Pallathena, who sadly passed away a few years back, is the one who taught me how to make this dish. She would cut the broccoli into the tiniest of pieces, so her son Alex would unknowingly eat vegetables. I remember her every time I do that.
Sauté onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute.
Add rice.
Heat broth and set aside.
Sauté rice for 5-7 minutes, until browned.
Add 1 cup warm broth and wine. Stir occasionally until moisture is mostly absorbed. This is your routine. You are going to slowly add liquid, talking to your guests while you cook, until it is absorbed, then casually add more.
Add seasonings, then continue to gradually add broth, until rice is ready and there is some thick broth remaining. Have several clean forks/spoons handy to keep on tasting it. These are one-use utensils, since it is a group dish. Take a taste, feel if the rice is ready yet (a little al denté is perfect), see if if needs more salt/pepper/seasonings, and declare it ready when it is!
Add Parmesan cheese and sautéd veggies, mix in, and serve immediately, topped with fresh ground pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare veggies. Chop them into small pieces. You want a piece or two to fit on a fork with the rice. My friend Nancy Pallathena, who sadly passed away a few years back, is the one who taught me how to make this dish. She would cut the broccoli into the tiniest of pieces, so her son Alex would unknowingly eat vegetables. I remember her every time I do that.
Sauté onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute.
Add rice.
Heat broth and set aside.
Sauté rice for 5-7 minutes, until browned.
Add 1 cup warm broth and wine. Stir occasionally until moisture is mostly absorbed. This is your routine. You are going to slowly add liquid, talking to your guests while you cook, until it is absorbed, then casually add more.
Add seasonings, then continue to gradually add broth, until rice is ready and there is some thick broth remaining. Have several clean forks/spoons handy to keep on tasting it. These are one-use utensils, since it is a group dish. Take a taste, feel if the rice is ready yet (a little al denté is perfect), see if if needs more salt/pepper/seasonings, and declare it ready when it is!
Add Parmesan cheese and sautéd veggies, mix in, and serve immediately, topped with fresh ground pepper and Parmesan cheese.