Risotto is one of those dishes that you can make your own by choosing ingredients to complement the basic recipe. These “add-ons” can include everything from sausage to shrimp, and from prosciutto to mushrooms.
The recipe that follows is delicious as is, and matches beautifully with Chardonnay. It makes 6 servings.
CREATE YOUR OWN RISOTTO
Ingredients
* 1 cup minced onion
* 2 cups Arborio rice
* 3/4 cup Chardonnay
* 6 cups chicken stock (keep heated)
* 6 Tbs. butter
* 1/2 tsp. saffron threads, crumbled
* 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* Zest of 1 lemon
Preparation
1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, cook onion in half of the butter, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat with butter. Add the Chardonnay and simmer, stirring until reduced by half. Add 1/2 cup of heated stock and simmer until almost all of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Stirring constantly, add about 5 cups of the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, waiting until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid before adding the next portion. (Note: This will take about 25 minutes.) The risotto should be creamy but still al dente.
4. In a small bowl, combine the saffron with 1/4 cup of stock, then stir into hot rice. Add remaining butter, Parmesan cheese and lemon zest, and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately.
