Risotto bianco (and tips to make a good risotto)

Risotto bianco is the base recipe for this traditional dish of Italian cuisine. Many other elaborations are built on it : asparagus, mushrooms, etc. All of them are exquisite, yes, but the "bianco" is a unique dish , it is enough and left over by itself to dazzle whoever tries it.

It is important to use special rice for risotto. The most suitable varieties, due to their high starch content, are carnaroli and arborio . They are easily found in all large supermarkets and at a good price, so avoid the temptation to throw away that bag of bomba rice that you have in the pantry.

Other basic tips to make a perfect risotto:

• Do not skimp on cheese or butter and buy quality. The ingredients make the difference between a mediocre risotto and a spectacular one
• How much broth does the risotto have? You don't always need the same amount, it depends on the intensity of the fire, the brand or type of rice and what you stir. As a general rule, you have to multiply the weight of rice by four, but it is better to go left over than the opposite.
• How much do you have to remove? If you do not remove there is no paradise. You don't have to stand in front of the risotto and go over it from beginning to end, but you do do it frequently. This process is necessary to extract the starch from the grain and achieve that creamy texture characteristic of risotto.
• The texture makes the difference. Not too runny, that runs down the plate, not too thick. Getting a light cream is the most complicated part of the risotto. Before buttering it should have a light texture, add one or two tablespoons of broth if necessary (it will thicken with the cheese and butter).

Balti Dish Le Creuset , Caractère Revol porcelain plate and fork with Pallarès wooden handle

Ingredients (for 3 servings)

• 1.5 l vegetable or chicken broth
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 50g butter
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 1 leek (only the white part)
• 300 g arborio or carnaroli rice (special for risotto)
• 400 ml cava (white wine or dry white vermouth)
• 50 g goat cheese roll
• 100 g grated Parmesan
• ground black pepper

Balti Dish Le Creuset , porcelain plate Caractère Revol yc kitchen knife with rounded handle in Ebony Pallarès

1. Heat the broth in a covered pot and leave the heat to a minimum.
2. Meanwhile, chop the garlic clove, the onion and the leek.
3. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide saucepan (I have used my balti dish , which works like a shot for this) and sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes or until they are tender. They don't have to brown.
4. Add the rice, raise the heat and sauté for 1 minute while stirring. Add the cava and continue stirring until the alcohol evaporates.
5. Then we add the broth to cook the rice well. We will do this little by little and stirring throughout the process, without adding more broth until the rice has absorbed the previously added. This process should take around 15 minutes.
6. When the rice is ready, all that remains is butter. To do this, remove the container from the heat and add the two types of cheese and butter. Stir well, cover with a cloth and let rest for 2-3 more minutes, just enough to set the table and seat our diners.
7. We serve with a little ground black pepper and more grated Parmesan cheese on the surface.

Balti Dish Le Creuset , porcelain plate Caractère Revol and fork with Pallarès wooden handle