657276 Mon Oct 05 15:59:33 -0700 2009 53 31 Home Cooking 0 5081026 I think risotto is kind of an unsung hero of the pasta world probably because it's a little harder to make and takes longer than other pastas. However, the effort to me is really worth it. I made a simple risotto with shallots, porcinis, veal stock, white wine and pecorino cheese and you could have eaten it until you were ill. It's a versatile ingredient and I was wondering what favorite adds others have for risotto? Mon Oct 05 15:59:33 -0700 2009 41679 Den 1 5081077 Rice is not pasta. I like all types of risotto but this time of the year butternut squash puree makes for a nice addition. Mon Oct 05 16:24:17 -0700 2009 5081026 10195 KTinNYC 1 5081083 I'm intrigued- what kind of starch did you use in your risotto? Were the porcinis fresh or dried? Sounds delicious! Mon Oct 05 16:28:18 -0700 2009 5081026 67581 4Snisl 2 5082016 The porcinis were dried and I add the rehydrating water to the risotto. Tue Oct 06 04:29:48 -0700 2009 5081083 41679 Den 2 5082178 I'm intrigued- what kind of starch did you use in your risotto? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Barley makes a nice twist for Risotto. I also see many recipes using California Pearl Rice, which I have no idea what that is......I always use vegetables of the season with chicken stock.....asparagus and mushrooms being the most popular.....when making mushroom risotto, I will use the liquid from hydrating the porcini mushrooms too. Tue Oct 06 06:10:10 -0700 2009 5081083 123497 fourunder 3 5082303 Ooh, I really like the barley twist. Unlike pasta it would/should absorb all the liquid, wouldn't it? Tue Oct 06 07:05:08 -0700 2009 5082178 131001 c oliver 4 5082360 The first time I saw Barley Risotto was on an episode of Michael Chiarello's cooking show...he made it more of a creamy/loose texture.....but yes, it absorbs a lot of liquid to make. http://www.napastyle.com/recipe/recipe.jsp?productId=2262 Tue Oct 06 07:24:08 -0700 2009 5082303 123497 fourunder 5 5086252 I'd never heard of barley risotto until I had it at a restaurant in Prague a few weeks ago. It was done fairly dry but still creamy, quite savory, served as a bed for roast quail. Delicious! Wed Oct 07 13:23:48 -0700 2009 5082360 14386 BobB 6 5086301 Poor baby. I know it took a real effort on your part to gag down those quail, huh? My daddy used to hunt quail and dove and I remember those meals fondling. On a bed of (any kind of) risotto would be gilding the lily. Good for you. Wed Oct 07 13:35:20 -0700 2009 5086252 131001 c oliver 7 5086325 And that was just the appetizer - it was followed by the most tender venison I've ever eaten! P.S. I suspect you meant to write "fondly," not "fondling." I hope that's just a typo and not repressed memory syndrome. ;-) Wed Oct 07 13:41:44 -0700 2009 5086301 14386 BobB 8 5086336 Oh my goodness, I'm blushing and I RARELY blush :) That's what I get for trying to type without my reading glasses. Definitely FONDLY. PS: I'll meet you there anytime. Wed Oct 07 13:45:30 -0700 2009 5086325 131001 c oliver 1 5081095 After you tell us about the pasta part, did you make your own veal stock? If you bought it, where pray tell? Isn't there a law that one HAS to eat risotto until ill??? Mon Oct 05 16:32:55 -0700 2009 5081026 131001 c oliver 2 5082015 It's our own veal stock. I get it from the restaurant where I work. Tue Oct 06 04:28:43 -0700 2009 5081095 41679 Den 3 5082024 Lucky you. But I'm still wondering what pasta you use and how you make it work. I just can't get my brain around that. Tue Oct 06 04:36:23 -0700 2009 5082015 131001 c oliver 4 5082158 I use risotto of course and as I was corrected by the New Yorker, it's not a pasta although I think of it as one. Tue Oct 06 05:58:48 -0700 2009 5082024 41679 Den 5 5082238 I have lots of pastas and lots of rices but arborio stands alone :) I've never thought of it as a pasta though. Tue Oct 06 06:34:23 -0700 2009 5082158 131001 c oliver 6 5082477 CO... I know you know that Arborio is a short grained Rice from the Piedmont region of Italy, actually named after the municipality of the same name..... Not A Pasta. Tue Oct 06 08:05:47 -0700 2009 5082238 75332 Gio 6 5083260 Instead of arborio rice, try carnaroli rice. My Roman cousin swears it's "the best" and my god he is right. Perfect risotto every time. Tue Oct 06 12:21:08 -0700 2009 5082238 162278 heypielady 7 5083326 I'll check that out - once I use up all the arborio (rice). :) Tue Oct 06 12:39:43 -0700 2009 5083260 131001 c oliver 2 5084964 If you don't have restaurant veal stock, you can buy a pretty decent shelf-stable veal stock concentrate at the grocery store by a company called More Than Gournet (Demi-Glace Gold). I use it quite a bit. Wed Oct 07 06:30:35 -0700 2009 5081095 181204 stuck in Hartford County 3 5085136 I've used the chicken and read on CH about the others. I need to check that out. Thanks for the reminder. Wed Oct 07 07:38:41 -0700 2009 5084964 131001 c oliver 1 5082030 One of my favorites is a risotto with chopped fresh tomatoes, cubed smoked mozzarella and basil. I used chicken stock when I make it. Tue Oct 06 04:38:40 -0700 2009 5081026 10985 MMRuth 2 5082046 Wow, a summertime twist, eh? Back in the spring I made one with black trumpet mushrooms from our farmers market. Sigh. Tue Oct 06 04:50:17 -0700 2009 5082030 131001 c oliver 2 5084510 Try adding the leftover juices from canned San Marzano tomatoes to the stock (along with some wine). I made one last week and it turned out great. Tue Oct 06 21:33:40 -0700 2009 5082030 150662 white light 1 5082049 Someday I'm going to try that risotto with gorgonzola dolce and toasted pistachios, the recipe that's been floating around here for five years or more. Like the day I wake up and find that I have miraculously lost 10 lbs overnight..... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/288918 Tue Oct 06 04:51:34 -0700 2009 5081026 11097 coll 2 5090404 I love that post and the comments and posts on that. An enteraining read! Fri Oct 09 04:24:48 -0700 2009 5082049 79652 itryalot 1 5082272 I've done that exact same risotto a couple of times and it's truly wonderful! Risotto is one of my favourite 'lazy' dishes as I find it's very versatile and so easy to make. I sometimes use arborio or carnaroli rice and other times, I make it using barley (delicious and healthy too). I also use butternut squash puree and other times, pureéd roasted beets, leek and thyme. Toasted pine nuts work well as do sundried tomatoes. Tue Oct 06 06:48:45 -0700 2009 5081026 240789 Paula76 1 5082296 i don't like rice so much but do make risotto sometimes, however am partial to 'nice' mushrooms and shellfish. my favourites are: 1) shiitake and magret de canard. 2)Arroz de Berbigão [cockles/clams or any shellfish really] Tue Oct 06 07:01:17 -0700 2009 5081026 292258 Pata_Negra 1 5082391 ive done rabbit and duck risottos, veg ones, mushroom ones, almost anything can work. i also like using leftover risotto as a filling for an omelette Tue Oct 06 07:33:36 -0700 2009 5081026 135229 thew 2 5082456 A couple weeks ago I made a honeydew melon and prosciutto risotto, it was yummy! Tue Oct 06 07:59:24 -0700 2009 5082391 240564 eviemichael 2 5083333 You taught me about oven polenta. Is there a version for risotto??? Tue Oct 06 12:40:53 -0700 2009 5082391 131001 c oliver 3 5086467 Delia Smith makes an oven version (see link) which I have made for years. Risotto purists will cry foul but the fact is, if the choice is this or no risotto, it is everyone's own choice to make. ;) (Once you get the technique, such as it is, you can convert most any risotto recipe, although out of respect, I would never try the gorgonzola dolce pistachio one this way.) http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/risotto/oven-baked-wild-mushroom-risotto.html Wed Oct 07 14:23:03 -0700 2009 5083333 13756 GretchenS 1 5082563 One of the most simple is a celery risotto - I add onion, wine, chicken stock, fresh black pepper and about 2 cups chopped celery added in additions throughout the cooking time and of course a tbsp butter and parm to finish it off. Sometimes I also substitute some fennel in place of half the celery. Tue Oct 06 08:30:10 -0700 2009 5081026 78708 howchow 2 5083336 Celery sounds really good. How small do you chop it? Tue Oct 06 12:41:34 -0700 2009 5082563 131001 c oliver 3 5084263 I discard the the outer most green ribs - then slice about 1/4 inch including the leafy tops. Tue Oct 06 19:00:13 -0700 2009 5083336 78708 howchow 1 5082635 bacon and peas at the very end w/Parmigiano Reg Tue Oct 06 08:52:23 -0700 2009 5081026 178131 BiscuitBoy 2 5089807 Tonight I did bacon and onion as the base, then late in the process added a few scant chopped canned tomatoes and a bit of their juice, some anchovy paste, a tablespoon or so of chevre, and grated percorino. Finished on the plate with a drizzle of aged balsamic and grey sea salt. Yum. Thu Oct 08 18:08:06 -0700 2009 5082635 47694 litchick 1 5083355 All of these risottos sound delish, but if you are lucky enough to have any left, make Barbara Figaroa's (Seattle Chef) risotto cake topped with a wild mushroom ragu. Pack the left over risotto into a buttered English muffin ring (or a 3" ring mold of any kind). Place grated pecorino cheese on a plate and dredge both sides of the risotto in the cheese. Melt more butter in a non-stick skillet and cook the cakes until toasted on each side. Slide onto a plate and remove ring. Top with warm mushroom ragu. Eat 'til you're ill. I guarantee the weight gain is worth the absolute ecstasy. Tue Oct 06 12:47:02 -0700 2009 5081026 12094 amazinc 2 5083440 OMG, that sounds incredible. Thanks ALOT for sharing. Tue Oct 06 13:12:05 -0700 2009 5083355 131001 c oliver 2 5085708 LOVE risotto cakes. Dom't make risotto too often, but when I do, I make sure I will have enough left overs to make the risotto cakes. Sometimes I even enjoy them more than the original dish Wed Oct 07 10:44:09 -0700 2009 5083355 11057 macca 3 5085738 Arborio rice makes the best rice balls too. Wed Oct 07 10:50:31 -0700 2009 5085708 11097 coll 1 5083554 I will sometimes use a mild white fish, scallops or shrimp. When using shrimp, you can use the tails for the stock. Tue Oct 06 14:04:30 -0700 2009 5081026 21396 normalheightsfoodie 1 5084170 Two I like in addition to some mentioned already: A basic risotto milanese (finely chopped onion, saffron) made with chicken or vegetable stock, with sauteed wild mushrooms and baby arugula leaves folded in at the end. A simple risotto made with onions, garlic, chicken stock, with Meyer lemon zest and juice added near the end of cooking, finished with a bit of butter and little or no cheese. This is a nice side with roast chicken. Tue Oct 06 18:24:06 -0700 2009 5081026 10074 Caitlin McGrath 1 5084381 Seeing an ad for a Chow vegetable risotto dish is actually what got me to first visit this site. I tried it last spring and was hooked. I know I'm going to be experimenting with risottos a lot this fall and winter. Somebody just passed a recipe on to me for a risotto that includes bacon and carmelized onions, which sounded heavenly. I think that will be my next experiment! Tue Oct 06 19:56:46 -0700 2009 5081026 323691 writergeek313 1 5085375 I love risotto, don't get me wrong. But lately when in the kitchen I opt for barley. A whole grain (well, almost) versus white rice. And so much easier to cook -- no constant stirring, and yet delicious. Absorbs all the flavors of risotto yet you can feel smug (and happily satiated) by subbing barley. Wed Oct 07 08:59:02 -0700 2009 5081026 33755 NYchowcook 2 5085414 i agree - barley risotto is a fall fave - i've copied a dish i had at a local cambridge eatery that's a barley risotto with pumpkin, pancetta and peas - feels like home... Wed Oct 07 09:12:14 -0700 2009 5085375 207355 jmullen1251 3 5085688 That sounds so, so good, but I've never made risotto with barley. Any hints? Wed Oct 07 10:38:16 -0700 2009 5085414 11097 coll 4 5085729 hey there - i actually make it much in the same way that i would a traditional risotto. i roast the pumpkin, cubed, like i would for butternut squash and add to sauteed onions, and garlic that are cooked with the pancetta. i add the barley and let it toast a bit in the saute, then start adding my liquids - some white wine and then, gradually, heated chicken stock. parm, butter and frozen peas go in at the end - hope you like it as much as i do! Wed Oct 07 10:48:22 -0700 2009 5085688 207355 jmullen1251 5 5085739 sometimes i'll even make a risotto-style dish with israeli couscous - i really like the texture. i usually make that version with butternut squash (a standard for fall), pancetta (i'm nothing if not consistent) and feta instead of parm. Wed Oct 07 10:50:33 -0700 2009 5085729 207355 jmullen1251 5 5085747 Thanks for the quick reply! I know I will love it before I even make it. Can hardly wait...... Wed Oct 07 10:51:58 -0700 2009 5085729 11097 coll 1 5085734 I know this sounds like heresy and I love a traditional hand-stirred risotto, but we often make ours in a pressure cooker. I agree carnoli seems to work the best. I can have it on the table in 10 minutes and it's delicious. In the summer I use onion in the pot at the start and add in sauteed zucchini and fresh basil and oregano with the cheese at the end. In the winter we use frozen organic cobed butternut squash that I toss in with the rice. Super simple and comforting Wed Oct 07 10:49:12 -0700 2009 5081026 1109182 Bainbridge Cook 1 5090257 This thread is making me wonder whether I have missed a new terminological trend. According to standard Italian terminology, pasta and risotto are both primi piatti, but pasta is not a synonym of primo piatto, merely the most common type of primo. That is to say, the terms pasta and risotto cannot be used interchangeably, though the dishes are indeed interchangeable (you would have one or the other in a meal as your primo, not both, except perhaps as tiny portions in a tasting menu). Likewise, barley cannot be the main ingredient in a risotto, because the main ingredient in a risotto by definition has to be rice. Barley is orzo, and orzo cooked in a way similar to rice cooked as risotto is called orzotto. Thus, the question what kind of starch did you use in your risotto has to be answered with "rice," but that would sound too smart-alecky, so really it would have to be "arborio" or "carnaroli" or some other rice variety. The Latini pasta company makes a pasta shape called pennette, which are too small to handle like normal pasta, though not small enough to be treated like a pastina, so they publish a recipe titled Pennette Cooked in the Manner of Risotto. Their pasta is particularly starchy and absorbent, so the recipe makes sense. But the point is what they call it: it's not rice, so it's not called risotto, merely in the manner of. Thu Oct 08 22:52:53 -0700 2009 5081026 83777 mbfant 2 5090432 I think in the beginning, the OP mis-wrote and used pasta instead of rice. Then others have used a "shorthand" of barley risotto when they actually mean "in the manner of risotto." But I thought barley was a grain and the orzo I use in dishes (not risotto-esque) is definitely a pasta and not a grain. I AM confused now. Fri Oct 09 05:01:37 -0700 2009 5090257 131001 c oliver 1 5091307 Hi, folks. Please keep the focus here on preparing risotto. Discussion of what risotto is (and isn't) is a topic for the General Chowhounding board. http://chowhound.chow.com/boards/27 Thanks very much. Fri Oct 09 10:38:56 -0700 2009 5081026 2 The Chowhound Team