New Italian Recipes Presents
Red Wine Risotto
Ingredients:
About 6 cups of
chicken broth. Amount needed to finish the red wine risotto will vary, so
have a couple of extra cups at the ready, just in case).
Aside: This is not a hard adjustment to make, because you can just add more or less broth along the way. You'll notice when it doesn't need any more. Taste it. When almost all of the liquid is absorbed, AND THE RICE IS TENDER ENOUGH FOR YOUR TASTE, it is done! (What a concept, huh?)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T minced shallots (or onions)
1 and 1/4 cups Italian Arborio rice
1/3 cup good quality red wine
1 1/2 T balsamic vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Aside: Crimini would be good in this red wine risotto but white buttons are okay. If you have dried porcinis, use these. The juice produced in reconstituting the porcinis can be used in the stock! You'll love this touch, and so will your guests Note: For you Pseudo-Italians, porcinis grow under chestnut trees and are a bit pricy, but not terribly expensive when dried. Unique but very pleasant taste, for sure, can't imagine anyone not liking these. Try them, especially in risottos.
10 fresh basil leaves
1 Sprig fresh thyme
2-3 T real butter or yogurt butter
2 T grated Romano cheese (Pecorino (ewe’s milk) for real Italian risotto
authenticity)
The grated Romano is essential in adding creaminess
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley for garnish
Grated parmigiano-reggianno to top
Preparation
Directions for Italian Red Wine Risotto:
This takes about 1/2 hour of cooking time.
In a large stock pot, heat the stock and herbs. Keep simmering throughout preparation of the dish. Next, over medium heat in a large, non-stick or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil.
Add shallots or onions. Stir to coat for 1-2 minutes.
Add Arborio rice. Stir to coat rice really well, but do not brown. (The purpose in coating the rice with olive oil is to help control the absorption of the cooking stock) If the onions seem to have used up most of the oil, add more. The arborio HAS to be coated, or your red wine risotto won't be as good as it can be.
Once coated, add the red wine and balsamic vinegar, and allow most of it to be absorbed. The rice will be red, but don't fret, it's supposed to be. It adds to the charm of the dish.
Add the mushrooms, stir in briefly, but do not allow the pan to completely dry up.
Add enough stock with a stock spoon to cover the rice completely and lower the heat to low. As the liquid level drops below the rice slightly, add back enough stock to re-cover. Stir the rice occasionally so that it does not stick and so it cooks evenly. This is low heat cooking, so don't try and rush it. It's okay if you get some or all of the basil from the simmering stock in the dish, but since the thyme is on its sprig, don't let this get into the risotto itself, just the flavor.
Continue this process for about 20 more minutes. Taste the rice at this point to see if it is almost tender. If so, allow the present liquid level to drop until about 90 per cent absorbed. Stir in the butter and Romano cheese vigorously, then turn off the heat. The butter and cheese will provide that elegant "creaminess" that good risotto is noted for.
Garnish your red wine risotto with fresh Italian Parsley and parmigiano-reggianno.