Idiot-Proof Risotto

Risotto is another classic winter dish, but it's often met with apprehension, generally due to the margin of error and time it takes to make it. This recipe is for the risotto base itself... you can add pretty much any combination of ingredients to it, some of which will work amazingly well, some will change the colour drastically, and some can even turn this meal into a dessert.
 
Personally,some of my favourite combinations are Sweet Potato & Bacon (an awesome combination across the board, and one of my most frequent ones), Pea and Ham, Chicken and Bacon, Wild Mushroom, or Cinnamon and White Chocolate for an amazing dessert.



You will Need

• Aborio Rice (About 1 cup should do)
• About 1 ltr of Stock (Chicken, Veg, Beef or Seafood, depending on what you want to add)
• 2tbsp Butter
• 1tbsp Oil
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, smashed or finely diced (Make sure you peel it first!)
• 1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 Cup onions, finely diced
• 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine

What to Do

Bring the stock to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Hot stock is the secret to the perfect risotto... cold stock won't cook the rice in the centre, leaving it crunchy and chalky.

Heat 1tbsp butter and oil in a solid bottom pan (it'll help distribute the heat evenly), then add the onion and garlic. Fry until the onion has gone clear, then stir in the rice. You want to make sure it's coated nicely, as it'll draw out the starch, giving your risotto that creamy consistency. Fry the rice off, for a minute or so, until it starts to whiten and give off a faint nutty aroma. Use a wooden spoon when stirring, so you don't break the grains.

Add the white wine, and stir through till it's absorbed. The wine helps flavour the rice, and adds a little sweetness. Once it's just about absorbed, add a ladle of hot stock, and continue stirring. Add the next ladle once it's almost absorbed, and repeat till the rice is al dente. You may not need all the stock, so taste as you go. When it starts to take on a creamy, lava-like consistency, you know you're almost done. This generally takes about 20-30 minutes.

Once you've hit that point, add the rest of the butter, and stir through the Parmesan. Add salt to taste.

Reduce the heat, and add your signature ingredients (pre-cooked). Give it a stir, taste, and season accordingly.

Tip: Risotto starts to go gluggy pretty quickly, so serve as soon as possible. It'll store nicely for about a day, but you can always use any leftovers in risotto balls or cakes. For the balls, mould, crumb and fry them (or bake) till golden brown, and for the cakes, mould (or shape to a tray) and bake or fry.