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Risotto like a pro
An absolute mainstay of Italian life, risotto (meaning ‘little rice’) is, as chef Valentina Harris says, ‘a real feel-good kind of dish…and also a fantastic stress-reliever to make, because the risotto-cook has to become totally absorbed in preparing the dish and caressing it to perfection.’
In recent years, risottos of every description have become de rigueur on fashionable Modern European menus, but if you’re lucky enough to find it listed, correctly prepared risottos should specify a 20-minute wait whilst they are cooked to order. So be very suspicious if you order one and sit back to enjoy the view, only to find that it arrives in five minutes flat.
Risotto is not only controversial because it’s tough to prepare perfectly – recipe books abound with conflicting advice, and everyone has their own personal view about timing and stirring – but also because of the confusion about which rice to use. In total there are at least sixteen different kinds of rice available in Italy, each with distinctive properties. There are three principle types of risotto rice:
Arborio is the risotto rice most widely available outside Italy. It has a high starch content so it thickens and holds together beautifully while still retaining bite in the middle. It makes the most consistent type of risotto, producing creamy, evenly cooked grains.
Carnaroli rice – known as the king of rice – has long elegant grains. According to chef Georgio Locatelli, who serves the most sublime risottos in his Knightsbridge restaurant Zafferano, it’s the best choice for simple, sophisticated risottos such as saffron or white truffle.
For garnished risottos such as quail or perch Locatelli uses Vialone nano, a much smaller, sturdier grain with a more rounded edge. This is also the favoured grain of Stefano Cavallini, fellow risotto maestro and chef of the ultra-chic Halkin Hotel in London.
Stock
The quality of the stock is paramount. The finished risotto will be suffused with the stock’s flavour so it is essential to use a home-prepared chicken or vegetable stock. Locatelli suggests adding peas to the stock, for a sweeter base, or if you don’t have time to make your own, a top brand name of fresh stock such as Joubert (available in tubs from supermarket chill cabinets). The stock (often with a glass of wine added) should be kept hot in a separate pan on the stove so that it does not lower the temperature of the rice.
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