Risotto is a simple dish. And yet it isn’t. Simple because, if you have risotto rice, dried wild mushrooms and a bit of stock, supper is half an hour away. And it won’t be supper in the way that scrambled eggs are supper.
Risotto seems luxurious – sumptuous and mouth-fillingly rich. What’s not simple is knowing how to do it. So this isn’t one of those 'isn’t-risotto-glorious-I-wish-I-was-Italian’ pieces. It’s practical advice.
- First, choose your rice. Carnaroli has a great flavour and produces a very creamy risotto. Vialone nano has smaller, less starchy grains, so the finished risotto seems lighter. Arborio is the most basic and widely available but overcooks easily. I always go for carnaroli or vialone nano.
- Get your stock simmering. Cook the onion until it’s soft and lightly coloured (never browned). Most Italians will tell you to use butter or a mix of oil and butter. Sometimes I use...
