Creamy risotto is a classic Italian dish renowned for its rich, velvety texture and comforting flavor. Made with Arborio rice, which has a high starch content, risotto achieves its signature creaminess through slow cooking and gradual addition of broth. The process involves sautéing onions or shallots in butter or olive oil, then adding the rice to toast it lightly. Gradually, warm broth is added in small increments, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid slowly, releasing its starch and creating a smooth, creamy consistency. Preparing creamy risotto at home takes about 40 minutes, start to finish. Served as a main meal or side dish, it is so worth the effort.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of Vegetable Stock
• 8 ounces of button mushrooms, sliced very thin
• 1 medium onion, or shallots peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated or pressed
• 1-1/2 cups of Arborio Rice
• 8 ounces of grape tomatoes, quartered or sliced into thirds
• ¼ ounce chives, snipped fine
• 4 tablespoons of garlic butter
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or substitute with Asiago, Sharp Cheddar, Gruyere, or Pecorino Romano)
• 1 teaspoon Korean red chili flakes
• Salt & pepper to taste

Process

1. Heat vegetable stock in a medium pot, bring to a low simmer.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms, spread out in a layer and cook until brown on underside, flip mushrooms and continue to cook until browned and slightly crispy., Season with salt and pepper.
3. Turn off heat and transfer mushrooms to a plate. Set aside.
4. In the same pot, drizzle olive oil over medium heat. Add onion or shallots, cook stirring until slightly softened and very lightly browned about 2 – 3 minutes.
5. Add garlic, rice and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Cook, stirring for about 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant and rice is translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Begin making Risotto by adding ½ cup vegetable stock to the pan with rice. Stir until liquid is mostly absorbed. Repeat with remaining stock, adding ½ cup at a time and stirring until liquid has mostly absorbed until the rice is “al dente” and risotto is creamy. This will take about 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
7. Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic herb butter, half of the cheese and half of the chives.
8. Cook until the tomatoes are softened for about 6 minutes.
9. If risotto is too thick, stir in a little water or more vegetable stock. Risotto should be soft and creamy, not thick.
10. Stir in red chili flakes.
11. To serve, top bowl with remaining chives and remaining Parmesan.

Tagged: chives, dinner, Entree, Food, mushrooms, recipe, recipes, rice, Risotto, side dish