How to cook risotto

Risotto is not for the faint of heart. It requires constant stirring and attention. If you are not careful, it will end up a burnt mess at the bottom of your skillet. Nevertheless, if you are willing to put forth the time and effort to make a quality risotto, you will have a meal that is impressive not only in its taste but also in the skill and dedication you demonstrate in its creation.

Risotto, simply put, is Italian rice cooked in stock, such as chicken stock, so that the rice is infused with the taste of the stock. When the risotto is completed, each individual grain of rice should be individuated, not clumped together in a sticky mass.

First, start with a rice with a short grain and high in starch, such as Arborio, and the broth you will be using. Bring the broth to a boil. Then, coat a skillet with oil or butter, and saute an onion in the skillet. Next, put your rice into the skillet and toast the rice for a very short period of time. Add the broth to the skillet a half a cup at a time, constantly stirring the rice and onion to keep the rice from clumping together until the broth is absorbed by the rice before adding more broth. The combination of constant stirring and periodic addition of new broth to the mix is where the challenge of risotto arises.

Risotto is difficult to master, but well worth the effort. Remember to use a short grain, starchy rice, keep your rice moving, and neither let your rice get too dry or drown your rice in broth.