En tant que célibataire, le titre est un peu triste et en dit long… Mais bon, j’assume. J’en ai fait un roman ci dessous, mais ne vous laissez pas impressionner:0)
Je n’avais goûté de risotto qu’une fois au restaurant il y a très très longtemps et n’en avais jamais préparé moi même. Je n’osais pas. La faute à tous ces imbéciles qui m’avaient convaincu qu’il s’agissait d’un plat si difficile à réaliser qu’il valait mieux s’abstenir d’essayer. En tant que petit fils d’Italienne, il en allait pourtant de mon honneur… Aujourd’hui, j’ai sauté le pas.
La seule chose qui me faisait “peur” était le temps de cuisson. Les Italiens ne jurent que par l’al dente, mais je ne voulais pas d’un riz qui croque… Alors je me suis lancé en respectant bien LA règle d’or: RESTER SUR SA CASSEROLE!!! Ne jamais quitter un risotto des yeux! Puis au bout d’une vingtaine de minutes, j’ai commencé à goûter le riz régulièrement. C’est bien là qu’était la leçon et où mon sang Italien a réveillé mon instinct. A 20 minutes, le riz était cuit à l’extèrieur et croquant au centre. A 25 minutes il était parfait: al dente mais cuit de part en part. Pas croquant du tout, mais pas mou non plus. La photo montre très bien selon moi le produit final. Crémeux mais ne nageant pas dans son jus. Je pouvais séparer chaque grain sur ma langue. Je le mâchais une seule fois et il fondait dans ma bouche. EXTASE! EXTASE ABSOLUE!
Pour 4 personnes:
- Dans une casserole, faites revenir un oignon haché dans 1 cuillère à soupe de beurre, une d’huile de colza et une d’huile d’olive. Ceci pendant environ 2 minutes. L’oignon devient translucide sans colorer
- Ajoutez 250g de riz rond Italien (riz à risotto dans tous les magasins) et faites le revenir à feu doux environ 2 minutes. Tout le monde vous dit qu’il doit tourner translucide; ce ne fut pas mon cas…
- Mouillez avec 1 petit verre de vin blanc et remuez bien
- Lorsque le riz a absorbé tout le vin, commencez à ajouter le bouillon 1 louche à la fois. Pour ma part, j’ai mis deux cubes de bouillon de veau dans 1,5 litres d’eau chaude. Tout le principe est d’ajouter une louche après l’autre au fur et à mesure que le riz absorbe le bouillon. Il faut bien remuer à la spatule presque continuellement (surtout vers la fin où le riz accroche plus facilement)
- Vers la 20eme minute, ajoutez une gousse d’ail hachée, sel et poivre. Goûtez et ajustez l’assaisonnement et/ou le temps de cuisson
- Juste avant de servir, ajoutez 300g de champignons que vous aurez fait revenir avec deux échalotes et déglacé avec un soupçon de Madère.
Ce qui est formidable avec le risotto, c’est que tant que vous suivez les étapes 1 à 5 à la lettre, vous pouvez l’accommoder d’un millier de façons différentes. Langoustines, saucisses, asperges, fromage, moules… Pour 30 minutes de travail en cuisine, c’est imbattable!
As a single man, the title is a little sad and says a lot:0)
I had tasted risotto only once before at a restaurant some 20 years ago and had never prepared any myself. I would not dare to try. Many fools had convinced me over the years that it was a dish so difficult to prepare that you had to be a super chef to make it perfectly. As the proud grandson of an Italian (Mama Anna’s picture below), my honor depended on me trying… Today I took the plunge.
The only thing that really worried me was the cooking time. Italians swear by al dente, but I did not want my rice to be crunchy… So I followed THE golden rule: STAYING ON TOP OF ONE’S PAN! Never leave the stove, not even for a minute! Then after twenty minutes, I started to taste the rice regularly. This is where the learning took place. I could almost feel Anna’s breath on my neck as I was tasting again and again and again. This is where my Italian blood woke my instinct. At 20 minutes, the rice was still a little crunchy in the center. At 25 minutes it was perfect! Still al dente but cooked all the way through. Not at all crunchy but not too soft either. The photo shows very well the desired final product. Creamy but not swimming in its own juice. I could feel each single grain on my tongue. I chewed once and it melted in my mouth. ECSTASY! ABSOLUTE ECSTASY!
For 4 people:
- In a saucepan, sauté 1 chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 of canola oil and 1 of olive oil. Stir for about 2 minutes. The onion becomes translucent
- Add 250g of round Italian rice (or risotto rice) and stir on low heat for about 2 minutes. Everyone tells you that it must turn translucent, it was not the case here…
- Add 1 small glass of dry white wine and stir well
- When the rice has absorbed all the wine, start adding the broth one ladle at a time. I used veal stock. The whole idea is to add a ladle after another gradually as the rice absorbs the broth. You will keep stirring almost constantly for the next 20 to 25 minutes on low to medium heat
- Towards the 20th minute, add a clove of minced garlic, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning and/or cooking time
- Just before serving, add 300g of mushrooms that you will have browned separately with shallots and deglazed with a splash of Madeira.
What’s great about risotto is that as long as you follow steps 1 to 5 above to the letter, you can accommodate it a thousand different ways. Scampi, sausage, asparagus, cheese, mussels … For 30 minutes of work in the kitchen, it is unbeatable!
MY FRENCH HEAVEN 
BRAVO Stéphane !!! this post makes me think i want my risotto for lunch…:) with fresh tuna , orange & capperi..i like to mix a wild orange and a sweet one…the wild oranges are so bitter…but also so flavoured…
I never cooked risotto before that one and have made a few since. I must say that mushroom risottos are my favorites (so far) 🙂
of course mushroom risotto might be really special…as well as Risotto allo zafferano..typical for northern Italy…But, next time i’ll prepare my mushroom risotto i’ll dedicate it to you::))
You are so sweet. I can’t wait to see how you make it!!
…it might take a while…need to find the right mushrooms..:)
Made this recipe last night. I was with you, I thought it was a difficult dish. I followed your instructions with a few minor changes in ingredients. It was absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you so much Stephane
I’m so glad my darling! I know you did it justice as Melinda put it on Facebook:0)
Superbe!, cela fait un bout de temps que je n’en ai pas fait, Il faut absolument que je le remette au menu!
C’es un peu prenant, mais ça en vaut vraiment la peine!
sometimes i do like a attention intensive cooking. needing to be fussed over. and yes morels…yes ” …and yes I said yes I will Yes. “
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Great that you took the plunge, congrats! Next time please use homemade stock, and you will be even more amazed! You might be able to cook it just right in only 20 minutes by adding hot (simmering) stock and by cooking the risotto over medium heat so that the rice is bubbling gently.
Fresh stock is fine when you have time to make it. Now it’s even against the law to use it in professional kitchens for obvious health risks. You are right about the butter and cheese at the end, but I did not want to cover the wonderful aroma of the fresh morels…
Against the law? In France? It doesn’t make any sense to me, as it is heated to the boiling point and thus sterilized?
Fresh morels are great! Don’t think I can get them here — lucky you!
I don’t actually remember if it was in France or in the US that it was against the law. I will have to ask. When I was in hotel school, I know we weren’t allowed to use it. It had to do with some chefs letting the stock get cold and heating it again etc and bacteria developing in between… Anyhow…
This looks amazing Stéphane!
Thanks Jenn. It was soooo delicious. I could have eaten 10 plates of it…
I am going to try this risotto this weekend. My mouth is already watering.
Tell me how it goes! Mine was to die for:0)
Tell me how it goes Sandra!
I cook risotto often, in my deep calphalon pan. I find it soothing to stir while the rice cooks, and since you can put pretty much anything in it, its great for getting rid of leftovers in the fridge. No need to be afraid of how ‘complicated’ it seems. Recipes do make it appear that way, but its really quite easy and enjoyable to make! Just make sure to have a glass of wine nearby before you start 🙂
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It’s so funny that risotto has become one of those things that people are convinced are terribly difficult to make. This suits me rather well as everyone is very impressed if I make it for a dinner party, but the truth is exactly as you say: it’s very easy as long as you just keep stirring and adding, stirring and adding…!
I know. It’s like cheese puffs (gougères). All these are great as you say to impress:0)
voilà ! et c’est pour ça que pour la cuisson du riz parfait, le chinois a inventé le rice cooker, pour ne pas scotcher sa casserole pendant des heures ! this is au joke évidement, le risotto n’est pas comparable c’est un plat à part entière qui chante une belle mélodie savoureuse une fois sur les papilles !
:0))
All is explained – a Frenchman with an Italian grandmother! As you say, the secret is to stay at the stove (just as for your onion soup). Another important thing, if you haven’t eaten risotto before and don’t wish to risk being put off for life, don’t order it in a restaurant (despite the extraordinary experience related in another comment – if you think about it, what restaurant chef can stand at the pan for 30 minutes?).
You are right! Also every time you see them cook it, they look more like a soup than anything else…
Stephane! So many wonderful and beautifully photographed recipes from your kitchen, so little time! I still haven’t gotten to the French Onion Soup and now I must add your Risotto to my Must Do list.
Try the risotto first! It is out of this world:0)
Looks and sounds scrumptious! Love the title! Great!
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Looks so delicious! I know what I’m making for dinner tonight, Risotto! With whatever’s in the fridge. Leek, asparagus and peas I think. Thanks for the inspiration.
Tell me how it goes. I think the next one I make will have leeks in it…
Totally agree with your advice, re staying with the pan. It’s the only recipe where I do make a point of staying in the kitchen throughout.
It really is worth it though! Probably in my new top 5 favorite recipes.
Perso, j’y ajoute une pointe de Jeres et du parmesan en fin de cuisson ! Le tien a l’air effectivement très appétissant !
Une tuerie!
I’ve had risotto once too and I loved it. It was very good and surprisingly so because it was from a cafeteria style chain restaurant. I had never even thought to try to cook it because, like you, I have always heard that it is a long difficult process. But I have been seeing a lot more people cook it with great success (or so they say on their Facebook posts). The difficult part for me is — as you say — “STAYING ON TOP OF ONE’S PAN! Never leave the stove, not even for a minute!” I am notorious so walking away. I think I would need to be chained to the stove!
Well get a pair of handcuffs darling and start cooking:0) You will not be disappointed! + the combinations are truly endless…
You mean, use my handcuffs in the kitchen? LOL!
You never know what the effect of a good risotto might do on your partner. Better be prepared. Also the kitchen is as good a place as any:0) LOL
I’m the pasta eater. He prefers meat. One of these days I might have the patience to cook some risotto! One of these days . . . .
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I’m so glad you finally tried risotto. I’ve taught young girls how to make it, but it does have that reputation! Now you’ll be making it all the time. And, beautiful photo!
I know. There are so many combinations possible. Very exciting! I always say that with only 8 notes, musicians have been able to create so many different songs and operas. With an almost infinite list of ingredients, there is truly no limit to what cooks like us can create…
Beautiful photo — I love risotto with mushrooms and this sounds like a great recipe!
Thanks Danny! It was delicious!!
You are absolutely right! No need to be a chef to make a perfect risotto 😉
:0) Oh F, it was so good! I think I could have continued eating until I exploded!
Nice. I know your mother is proud of you. My philosophy regarding risotto is simplicity. I never add too many different flavors because the dish can turn to mud.
I will follow your advice. I think the quality of the rice is a big factor too when it comes to the texture…
Brie de meaux rather – sorry, auto correct switched on!
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And the risotto looks delicious. Mushrooms are a particular favourite of mine, especially with a little parmesan. Now that you’ve perfected the art, you should try roast chicken leftover risotto too, or leek and taleggio (you can substitute brie de beaux or camembert – fantastic)
You have got to stop that. You are like a devil on my shoulder. I’m getting fatter just by reading your words!
No, not really a devil. More an encourage to new taste sensations 🙂
Anyway, there is no justice. When I try and photograph risotto it looks like a scoop of baby food, or porridge. Yours looks delectable. What camera do you use?
I use a Canon Rebel, but what you have to know is that for one good picture I take about a 100… I always eat cold:0( Also, natural light if the back and front of the plate is essential.
Morels!
My favorite by far:0)
Gorgeous cat, Stephane!
Isn’t he?!