Four Cheese Risotto Recipes

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes, or until the onions are slightly soft. Add the stock and garlic. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 6 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 18 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the mixture is creamy and bubbly. Add the butter, cream, cheese and chives. Reseason with salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preparing the Rice
• Peel and finely chop the onion.
• Melt the butter in a 4-to-5-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly.
• Add the onion and cook, continuing to stir, until it turns soft and translucent. Turn the heat down if the onion starts to brown.
• Meanwhile, pour the chicken broth into a separate saucepan, set over medium heat, and bring to a gentle simmer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this simmer the whole time you are preparing the risotto.
• Once the onion is soft, add the rice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary -- if the rice is cooked at too high a heat, it will turn brown and take on an undesirable flavor.
• Adding the Liquid to the Rice
• Using a ladle, scoop up about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of broth. Pour it in the pan with the rice, stirring constantly with a spoon. After the first addition of broth, the rice mixture will look a bit soupy.
• As the rice begins to cook, stir it constantly, making sure that you scrape along the bottom of the pan so that it does not stick. You should see little bubbles popping up on the liquid from time to time. If it bubbles more vigorously than this, turn the heat down to medium-low.
• When most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice and the rice begins to look a bit dry, add another ladle of broth to the pan and stir constantly, as before.
• Determining When the Risotto Is Cooked
• Continue to add the broth in 1/2-to-3/4-cup batches and stir the rice until you have used most of the broth (this will probably take about 20 minutes). It is now time to test whether the risotto is cooked. Spoon up a grain of rice and bite into it -- it should be tender without being too mushy. If it is still crunchy and tastes a bit starchy, you will need to continue adding liquid and cooking further.
• If it looks as if you will run out of chicken broth and your rice is still not cooked, don't be alarmed. Because of variations in individual stoves and cooking temperatures, you may need more liquid than called for in the recipe. Simply heat up another cup or 2 of chicken broth. If you run out of broth, use hot water.
• When the rice is tender and the risotto has a creamy consistency, almost like thick oatmeal, it is done.
• Serving the Risotto
• Add salt and pepper to the risotto, about 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until it seems well seasoned to you. Stir.
• Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir well.
• Serve the risotto immediately in warm bowls and have extra grated Parmesan on hand.
• Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil:
• Take 4 Roma tomatoes, cut off and discard the stem tops, and cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Chop enough fresh basil leaves into small pieces to make about 1 cup. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the bottom of the skillet feels hot when you put your open hand 1 inch from the bottom, add the tomatoes and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Stir for 3 or 4 minutes, until they seem soft. Put the cooked tomatoes aside, and when the risotto is done, stir the tomatoes and basil into the hot risotto. Stir to mix well; taste for salt and add some if needed. Serve immediately and pass some grated Parmesan cheese.
• Risotto with Spinach and Garlic:
• Peel and chop 3 large cloves of garlic into small pieces, and put them on a piece of waxed paper. Rinse 1/2 bunch of spinach leaves, and shake off the excess water. Cut off the stems, bunch the leaves up, and cut them into thin strips, then cut crosswise into small pieces. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the bottom of the skillet feels hot when you put your open hand, palm side down, 1 inch from the bottom of the skillet, it is ready. Add the garlic to the oil and stir for a minute. Turn the heat to low, and add the spinach. Press the spinach down with a spatula, lightly salt and pepper it, and turn it over with a spatula. The spinach will wilt down almost immediately. Take the skillet off the stove, put a lid on the skillet, and when the risotto is done, stir the garlic and spinach into the risotto. Serve immediately, and pass some grated Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Warm chicken broth either on stove or in microwave.
• In a 2 quart saucepan or large skillet (non stick works well) heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute for 1-2 minutes until softened.
• Raise heat to medium high, add rice and salt, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, until rice just begins to turn slightly golden in color.
• Add wine and stir until almost completely evaporated.
• Begin adding chicken broth, about 1/2 cup at a time.
• After each 1/2 cup addition of broth, stir frequently, until broth is almost evaporated and add the next 1/2 cup.
• Do the same for each addition of broth, stirring frequently.
• Begin tasting the rice for doneness during the last two additions of broth for tenderness--it should be al dente-tender with a slight bite to it.
• If rice is not done after the last addition, continue cooking as above adding additional 1/2 cups of broth until done. The entire process should take about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in cheese, cayenne and pecans or pine nuts. You can also add the additional teaspoon of butter if you want it extra rich at this point.
• Adjust the salt if needed, remembering that there is a lot of salt in cheese and possibly in the type of broth you use.
• Serve hot.

Steps:

• If you want to make the cheese crust, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Season the cheese with the cracked black pepper and scatter evenly over a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Bake for 8-10 mins or until golden, then set aside to cool. Break into shards. Will keep in an airtight container for up to two days.
• Put the stock and parmesan or grana padano rinds in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Melt one third of the butter in a large, shallow saucepan, add the onion and fry gently over a low heat for 8-10 mins or until soft but still white. If the onions look dry at any point add a touch more butter to the pan.
• Stir the rice into the onions, turn the heat up slightly and cook for 3 mins, stirring until the rice is coated in butter and turns a pearly translucent white. Pour in the wine and stir for about 2 mins until the alcohol has evaporated.
• Add a ladleful of the simmering stock to the rice and stir well until absorbed, then continue the process. The rice should be bubbling gently and each addition should be mostly absorbed before more stock is added. After 15-20 mins the rice should be tender with a slight chalky bite. The overall consistency should be saucy but not sloppy - you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you draw a spoon through it.
• Take the pan off the heat and leave to stand for a minute, then vigorously stir in the remaining butter followed by the mascarpone, gruyère and parmesan, then stir with enough vigour that you hear the rice slapping against the side of the pan. Keep on stirring until the butter and cheese have melted together and the stock is thick and oozing. Serve the risotto ladled into warm bowls, topped with the shards of cheese crust and a drizzle of truffle oil, if using, plus a good grinding of black pepper.

Steps:

• Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large, shallow saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and cook for 5-10 mins until soft. Add the risotto rice and cook for 2-3 mins, getting a good covering in the fats and giving the rice a slightly toasted flavour.
• Add the white wine and cook until it has reduced away. Add the warm chicken stock, a ladleful at a time, and stir into the rice - when it has been absorbed, add more. You may not need to add all the stock, but keep adding until the rice is cooked al dente. It will take around 15 mins to get the risotto to the right consistency.
• Take the rice pan off the heat and stir in the cheeses, season and leave to rest for 3-4 mins. Serve with the roasted poussins, morel sauce and some wilted Baby Gem lettuce leaves.

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan, heat broth over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet or 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
• Stir in rice. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until edges of kernels are translucent. Stir in wine. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until wine is absorbed.
• Reduce heat to medium. Pour 1/2 cup of the hot broth over rice mixture. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue cooking 30 to 35 minutes, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring frequently, until rice is almost tender and mixture is creamy. Remove from heat.
• Stir in cheeses. Sprinkle with parsley.

Steps:

• In a large pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion, salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes, or until the onions are slightly soft. Add the stock and garlic.
• Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 6 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 18 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the mixture is creamy and bubbly. Add the butter, cream, cheese and chives.
• Reseason with salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes and serve immediately.