Risotto is perhaps as sublime an Italian dish as exists. Classic risotto is the result of a single immutable technique that requires 25-35 minutes of preparation to achieve its unique consistency, or so I thought. I have always made risotto in a classic heavy cast iron frying pan, but I did not prepare it often because of the time commitment involved.
In mentioning this to my sister Sandy a few years ago, she casually remarked that she made her risotto in a pressure cooker in seven minutes! Seven minutes! “It couldn’t be the same,” I protested. “You can’t tell the difference” she replied with smug assuredness. Because Sandy is my younger sister, I of course ignored her tip for several months until I saw reference to it in a cooking magazine.
The foundation to creating the layers of flavor in a risotto is in what the Italians call the soffritto: onion and sometimes garlic sautéed in either butter or olive oil (or try shallots and fennel). This classic risotto starts from the soffritto and adds the subtle flavors of Butternut squash and pine nuts; a wonderful comfort food risotto that will surprise you.
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 ounce butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups Italian Arborio long grain rice
1 cup white wine
2+ cups chicken stock (or veal stock)
1 Butternut squash, peeled, cored and cubed into bite sized squares
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
cracked pepper and salt to taste
chopped herbs as you wish (lemon thyme is great)
Preparation: 1. Heat the olive oil in your pressure cooker pot and sauté the garlic and onions evenly until just translucent (about 3 minutes). 2. Put the rice into the pot and sauté it briefly until the oil has coated all the grains. 3. Add the chicken stock, wine and the cubed Butternut squash, lock the top on the pressure cooker (follow its instructions carefully). 4. Bring to high heat until the steam begins to vent, reduce the heat to gain steady venting and cook for seven minutes. 5. When the seven minutes are up, carefully run cold water on the pressure cooker until no steam vents. 6. Open the pot and put the rice into a large mixing bowl. 7. Add the butter, cheese, herbs, toasted pine nuts, salt and pepper (to your taste) into the rice and toss gently. Add more warm chicken stock if the risotto is too thick – it should slowly “pool” on a plate when served. 8. Let the risotto stand for about three minutes and then serve.
Notes: The wonder of risotto is that you can experiment with any ingredients you like. Some believe that chicken stock produces a little too sharp of a broth. Many great risotto dishes use veal broth instead. When adding more delicate meats, as with shrimp or fish, it is better to prepare them separately and add them to the risotto at the end. Hardy pre-cooked meats, as with sausage, ham or pancetta, may be added up front with the other ingredients. Clams or mussels can be added afterwards, but they should be cooked ahead of the risotto so that their juices can be added to the risotto stock in order to impart their delicate flavors. The grated cheese is always added at the last, and if one were to blanket the dish with shaved white truffles, the angels themselves will join you at the table.
No comments:
Post a Comment