I like quick and easy mid-week meals, the recipe I use for the risotto base is fairly basic and I just add whatever ingredients are in the fridge to make up a meal for us.
Stirring risotto can sometimes take a bit of patience but there are kitchen appliances which will do this for you.......
Risotto isn't something I order when I go out for a meal because often they charge far too much for a simple bowl of rice. Once when eating out I ordered risotto and I'm convinced they had used pudding rice, it was topped with wild mushrooms and melted goat's cheese. I told hubby it was like eating a three course meal in one bowl and I've never really got over the experience!
So here's the recipe using arborio rice:
Ingredients:
large piece of butter
200g arborio rice
small white onion chopped
wineglass of white vermouth
1 litre hot vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
good grating of Parmesan cheese
Few button mushrooms
Rocket
Method:
1. Melt the butter in a large shallow pan, add the chopped onions and cook until they soften.
2. Stir in the rice and coat in the butter, add the vermouth and let it bubble until the liquid has been absorbed into the rice.
3. Ladle full by ladle add the hot stock, whilst continuously stirring. Only add a ladle of stock when the rice has absorbed the previous ladle of stock. Keep on cooking until the rice has become plump and creamy. The whole process should take approximately 20-30 minutes. Season and stir in the grated Parmesan.
4. Gently fry the button mushrooms in butter and garlic oil.
5. Pour the risotto into bowls, decorate with rocket and the cooked button mushrooms.
