March 2010
The Anatomy of Risotto
A Step by Step Guide to an Italian Classic
... With so little to hide the pure flavors of the ingredients it is vital that you start with the best you can find, so make sure you get fresh, sweet butter, the best short grain rice you can locate,... Read more The Anatomy of Risotto
A Step by Step Guide to an Italian Classic
... With so little to hide the pure flavors of the ingredients it is vital that you start with the best you can find, so make sure you get fresh, sweet butter, the best short grain rice you can locate, freshly grated cheese, and plan ahead so that you can make your own stock!
Meet Chef Eric Guido
After working in the New York City restaurant scene, Eric Guido branched out, organizing private dining and tasting events centered around Italian cuisine and wine. Here he began to incorporate food photography and recipe development. His continuing work can be seen at http://www.theviptable.net. Eric’s passion for food and wine is fueled by the togetherness and satisfaction found at the table.
So why, you ask, is restaurant risotto hit or miss?
I once had a friend ask me about making risotto. He had sampled this dish on a number of occasions in my home and had yet to be able to recreate those results on his own. Nor had he found any restaurant risotto that came close to mine. It’s amazing how something so wonderful and so simple can leave people scratching their heads because in reality, there is really only one secret ingredient: patience. I suppose patience is something that comes at a premium these days. However, I doubt I'm the only one who remembers my grandmother cooking for five hours every Sunday morning and the luxurious feast that would result from it.
In this case it is less about patience and more about turning over tables and getting food out quickly. You see, the average restaurant wants to be able to complete a dish within 3 - 5 minutes, once it's fired (started), which makes the 18 - 20 minute cooking process of risotto a problem. The answer in most establishments is to precook the rice, literally to the point where it is nearly done. Then when an order comes in, the rice is scooped from a holding tray and the risotto is finished. Anyone who truly loves risotto would frown upon this, but finding places that understand the importance of making risotto from start to finish, at the time it is ordered, are few and far between.
I assure you that, with a little patience and a bit of technique, you can make risotto that will thrill your guests and put you on the road to mastering this preparation. We'll start with the most basic, White Risotto with Parmigiano Reggiano, which is the foundation that you can build upon to create a multitude of recipes. Then, I’ll show you how to create something unique, Asparagus Risotto with Toasted Almonds, by simply making a few small tweaks of the original recipe. As for wine, a textbook pairing for each of these recipes is Arneis.
White Risotto with Parmigiano Reggiano is the first risotto I ever made and the one that hooked me for life. Nowhere else will you find the purest and simplest qualities of risotto showcased on a single plate. The rice is al dente and pearly white with a luminescent sheen, suspended in a savory sauce. The Parmigiano adds nuttiness and salinity, which helps to enrich the slight chicken flavor of the stock and sweet shallots. Each individual smell and flavor lends its qualities to the whole and promotes a sensation of warmth and comfort.
Asparagus risotto with toasted almonds takes the recipe above and fortifies its hearty richness with fresh, sweet vegetal notes. The components are nearly the same, but the asparagus creates the perfect yin to the white risotto’s yang and, in doing so, makes for an exciting and indulgent meal. The toasted almonds not only lend wonderful color to the presentation but are also a main part of the dish, and they provide a crunchy, toasted, and slightly salty diversion from the rich risotto and succulent asparagus.
The 2008 Vietti Roero Arneis shows the color of golden yellow straw with whimsical aromas of spring rain, white flowers and lime. On the palate you find Granny Smith apple, green melon, and orange rind, all carried by vibrant acidity with a laser-like focus that cuts through the risotto like a knife. The finish shows citrus fruit and leaves your palate feeling cleansed and refreshed.
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White Risotto with Parmigiano Reggiano
Click here to download a printable PDF file of this recipe.
Serves 3 - 4
5 cups chicken stock
5 tbls. sweet butter (cubed)
1 shallot (fine dice)
1 ½ cups risotto rice (Arborio is fine, but I prefer Carnaroli)
½ cup white wine (Try using the same white you plan to pair with the risotto.)
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
½ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
salt and pepper (to taste)
Prepare all of your ingredients before you start. Place the stock in a pot, with ladle, over a low flame.
In a saucepan, melt two tablespoons of butter, over a low - medium flame, and then add the shallots. Season the shallots lightly with salt. Sweat until translucent for about three minutes, but do not allow them to take on any color.
When the shallots are almost ready, add another tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the rice and bring the flame up to medium. Toss the rice in the butter and shallot mixture while stirring regularly. Do not allow the rice to take on any color or stick to the pan. This should take only one or two minutes.
Now add the wine and stir. The wine will begin to cook off and once the rice begins to look dry, add your first ladle full of stock and stir. I like to set a timer for 17 minutes at this point, as a guide, but not as the set time for completion.
Continue to stir, keeping the rice moving around the pan. Regularly stir the rice, from the outside of the pan, into the center. As the rice begins to look dry again, add more stock and continue to stir.
You will continue this process until your timer reads two minutes, at which time I begin to taste for doneness. I also like to season the rice lightly at this time with salt. Remember that the Parmigiano Reggiano is salty as well, so season very lightly.
Once your rice is al dente, soft with a slight snap to the bite, turn off the heat. You may have a little stock left; hold it for now. Now add the last two tablespoons of butter and the ½ cup of Parmigiano Reggiano and stir into the rice until combined. If the rice is too dry, add a little bit more hot stock and stir.
Taste the risotto and season with salt if necessary. Plate into warmed bowls. Garnish with some shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and a crack of fresh black pepper. Clean the rim of your plate and serve.
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Asparagus Risotto with Toasted Almonds
Click here to downlaod a printable PDF file of this recipe.
Serves 3 – 4
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup water
6 tbls. sweet butter (cubed)
1 shallot (fine dice)
1 ½ cups risotto rice (Arborio is fine, but I prefer Carnaroli)
½ cup white wine (Try using the same white you plan to pair with the risotto.)
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
½ cup raw almond slivers
1 bunch asparagus (Trim the hard ends off the bottom of each spear.)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Prepare all of your ingredients before you start. Have a bowl set on the side, filled with ice water.
Place the stock and water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the asparagus and cook over a medium flame for 5 - 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and place the asparagus into the prepared ice bath. Pour the stock and water mixture into a pot, with ladle, over a very low flame.
In a sauté pan, place one tablespoon of butter and melt over a medium flame. Once melted and heated through, add the raw almond slivers and season well with salt. Toast the almonds until they begin to take on a toasted color and give off a rich fragrance. Move the almonds off the heat and set aside on a towel to drain.
Remove the asparagus from the ice bath and dry. First cut the tips from each spear and set aside in a bowl for garnish. Then slice the spears with each piece measuring about ¾ of an inch.
In a saucepan, melt two tablespoons of butter, over a low - medium flame, and then add the shallots. Season the shallots lightly with salt. Sweat until translucent, for about three minutes, but do not allow them to take on any color.
When the shallots are almost ready, add another tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the rice and bring the flame up to medium. Toss the rice in the butter and shallot mixture while stirring regularly. Do not allow the rice to take on any color or stick to the pan. This should take only one or two minutes.
Now add the wine and stir. The wine will begin to cook off and, once the rice begins to look dry, add your first ladle full of stock and stir. I like to set a timer for 17 minutes at this point, as a guide, but not as the set time for completion.
Continue to stir, keeping the rice moving around the pan. Regularly stir the rice, from the outside of the pan, into the center. As the rice begins to look dry again, add more stock and continue to stir.
You will continue this process until your timer reads two minutes. Add the asparagus to the pan but not the tips and stir into the mixture. Ladle a small amount of hot stock over the reserved asparagus tips to warm them.
At this time you should begin to taste for doneness. Season lightly with salt, but remember that the Parmigiano Reggiano is salty as well, so season very lightly. Once your rice is al dente, soft with a slight snap to the bite, turn off the heat. You may have a little stock left; hold it for now. Now add the last tablespoon of butter and the ½ cup of Parmigiano Reggiano and stir into the rice until combined. If the rice is too dry, add a little bit more hot stock and stir.
Taste the risotto, one last time for seasoning. Plate into warmed bowls. Garnish with the asparagus tips and toasted almonds. Clean the rim of your plate and serve.
Risotto Two ways
Risotto Bianco
Eric's step-by-step instructions let you quickly master the perfect risotto bianco, the basis for all risotto. I like to pair this rich yet subtle dish with older Burgundy, and of course Nebbiolo. The butter and cheese offer the perfect backdrop to highlight the delicate fruit that these wines possess.
Asparagus Risotto
Risotto Bianco is not only great for highlighting the flavors of mature wines, but also the delicate yet complex notes of almost anything you can imagine. The combination of asparagus and almonds transforms this risotto, making it an ideal match for Vietti's Arneis.
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