Kerry Brennan | Staff Writer
The process involved in making risotto is, in my opinion, very therapeutic and the result is one of the best comfort foods. It can be made with just an onion, rice and stock so it’s cheap as well as cheerful. You’ll need Arborio rice (also called risotto rice) and to that you could add peas and ham, or chunks of butternut squash (that has been chopped up and roasted in olive oil for 30 minutes on 200°C on a tray in the oven). You could add slices of washed mushrooms, or stir in a bag of spinach at the very end. The creamy golden rule is once you start adding the stock you have to keep stirring, which I quite enjoy. My Mum always keeps the stock boiling in a second saucepan on the hob next to your rice that way the stock stays hot during the 20 odd minutes it’ll take to add it all, ladle by ladle. If you don’t have a ladle lying about, and I don’t recommend stealing one from the Buttery, it’s about half a mugful, but I take no responsibility for any scalding that occurs while scooping boiling stock out of a saucepan with a mug.
Ingredients (serves 4/5)
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion
350 ml of risotto rice/Arborio rice
White sherry/white wine/apple juice (not essential)
1.2 litres (2 pints) of vegetable stock
Your pre-cooked meat/vegetables Small knob of butter
Grated Parmesan cheese, and lots of it
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Method
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and chop up the onion
2. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, then stir in the rice
3. Boil the kettle for the stock If you have it, add a generous splash of white sherry, white wine, or apple juice to the rice and stir
4. Measure out the stock and keep hot in a saucepan on the hob next to your larger saucepan
5. Add one ladle of the stock to the rice and stir until your heart’s content, namely until all of the liquid has been absorbed
6. Keep adding the hot stock, one ladle at a time, and stirring. This should take 20 minutes, anything less will leave the rice undercooked and you will need to add more water. The risotto should become creamy but the rice should still be al dente.
7. When all of the stock has been absorbed, stir in your pre-cooked meat and/or vegetables (or peas straight from the freezer), a pile on the Parmesan cheese, along with a knob of butter if you’re feeling indulgent.
8. Put the lid on, and then leave the risotto off the hob for 5 minutes before serving.
