The Versatile Risotto

Risotto can be made with anything in the fridge. Infinite combinations of meats, vegetables and your favorite drinks make for great meals.

Risotto is a great dish for a few reasons. Although purists would be loath to experiment, risotto is versatile; it is easy to make; it can be a great side or a meal in itself. This version features hard salami and carrots. Serves 2, should take 15 minutes to prep and 45 to cook.

Risotto Recipe

Ingredients:

* 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic
* ½ a shallot
* 2 cups Arborio rice
* ½ lbs Italian hard salami
* 4 carrots
* ½ cup red wine
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 1 cup grated parmaggiano reggiano

Basic Preparation

1. Cut up the carrots and salami into small-ish pieces.
2. Heat the olive oil to medium-low/simmering.
3. Put the carrots in first, then the salami.
4. Mince the garlic and shallot, then add it to the mix.
5. When the garlic turns golden, pour in the rice and let simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Raise heat to medium and pour in ½ cup of wine. Allow it to absorb.
7. Stir, and pour in ½ a cup of chicken stock.
8. Repeat until the stock is gone or rice is the texture you like.
9. Add butter and parmaggiano to taste.

In Detail

Warm the olive oil to simmering and slice, mince, and dice the produce. Carrots take time to cook, so cut discs about ½ inch thick. The salami should be roughly the same size.

Start with what takes the longest to cook; in this case, the carrots. After three to four minutes, toss in the salami, shallot and garlic. Stir so that the oil coats everything, then cook for a bit. In three to four minutes, when the shallot and garlic are golden and translucent, stir in the rice.

Arborio Is Better

Any rice will do, but traditional risotto is made with Italian Arborio-style grains. Chefs agree: Arborio is better for risotto. The grains are bigger and oddly shaped and starchier. Frying the rice briefly locks in the starches before the liquids have a chance to wash them away. Stir the rice so that the salami, carrots and oil mix well and let sit for 2 minutes, stirring again a time or two. After 2 minutes, pour in the ½ cup of wine.

There at two tricks which yield a great risotto. First, keep the broth hot. Keep the rice at a near constant temperature, so avoid using cold or room temperature broth, forcing it to heat up again. Second, don’t drown the rice. Pour in a half a cup at a shot and give the grains time to soak it up. They are still frying in the oil; give them a chance to do so. If not, they are just boiling.

Remember: Two For One

The general rule for rice is two parts liquid for every one part grain. Some of the broth may evaporate while heating, but ½ a cup of wine provided liquid, so there is room to work with. When the liquid has soaked up after a minute or two, stir and ladle in some more. Repeat this process until the liquid is gone or the rice is of a consistency that you like. Traditionally, Risotto is soft almost to the point of being creamy. Between ladles, grate some parmesan.

When the rice is ready, let it sit for five minutes. Prepare the bowls with butter and cheese, then dole out some risotto and top it off with more parm. Raise your wine glass, look your guests in the eye and repeat this Italian wine toast: Cin Cin! (cheen cheen!) Ahora, mangia!