Risotto - Italy's Other Soul-Satisfying Staple
By Carole Kotkin

It is said that Italians will drive farther to eat a fine risotto than the best ravioli. The lure of this sublime comfort food, once relegated to simple Italian family dinners, is the variety and intensity of the vegetables, fish, poultry, meat, herbs, spices or seasonings painted on an otherwise blank canvas of unpretentious rice.

Risotto is usually modest about displaying its flavorful riches, but occasionally the dish will betray a hint of glamour.

It is the soul-satisfying quality of the pure, true flavors of saffron risotto - embellished with a square of gold leaf - that makes it worth the journey to L'Albereta, a gastronomic outpost in the middle of the Franciacorta vineyards in Lombardy, an hour's drive east of Milan. (Franciacorta has become known as Italy's sparkling wine region par excellence.)

L'Albereta's Chef Gualtiero Marchesi is celebrated as the first Italian to win three Michelin stars at his restaurant in Milan. These days at Ristorante Gaultiero Marchesi, he has just two of the precious stars, but he is still the legendary star of Italian cuisine. His risotto with saffron and gold leaf has been so widely imitated that he is considering the possibility of copyrighting the recipe.

At the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, the most famous place to enjoy risotto and the city that literally put risotto on the map, Chef de Cuisine Renato Piccolotto serves his version with pumpkin and rosemary - a rustic yet voluptuous dish, and a favorite among connoisseurs on both sides of the Atlantic.

No one knows exactly how long risotto has been eaten in Venice - some sources say it predates the Crusades - but we do know that Venetians controlled the Po Valley, Italy's greatest rice-producing area, for hundreds of years.

Risotto (ree SOTE toh) belongs to northern Italy - the Veneto, Lombardy and Piedmont regions. "Italians living in the north of Italy usually eat risotto as a first course instead of pasta, and it's always eaten with a fork, never with a spoon," says Chef Massimiliano Alajmo, whose family owns Le Calandre, on the outskirts of Padua. Chef Alajmo serves risotto with pigeon's liver and heart, topped with crispy onion rings, a dish that is typical of the Veneto. The risotto, cooked with plenty of butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, is both vividly contemporary and deliciously evocative of Old World Italy. He remarks, "I don't like to tamper too much with traditional dishes. Regional cooking is the heart of Italian food."

Alessandro Stratta, award-winning chef of Renoir at the Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas, agrees. "You try to invent new dishes, then you go back to the basics. Product and execution are all there is to cooking."

While forsaking pasta for rice may seem like heresy for an Italian, pasta itself may be the reason for risotto's increasing popularity. As it rose from its peasant origins to its more elevated culinary position, pasta blazed a trail for other unassuming staples, such as rice.

But not just any rice will do - short-grained rice with generous coats of waxy starch is needed to make a proper risotto. It's usually made with arborio rice from Italy's Po Valley in the Piedmont region, but Vialone Nano, Carnaroli and Baldo rice (available at specialty food stores) are preferred by many cooks. Semifino is the smallest grade rice; superfino the largest.

Besides the Po Valley, rice also is cultivated in Italy's Lombardy and Veneto regions. (Italy is the number-one producer of rice in Europe, and one of its largest consumers.) Because these rices are covered in both a soft starch (amylopectin) that dissolves in cooking and a harder starch inside (amylose) that expands and stays firm when cooked, they are ideally suited for making risotto, which requires that the cooked grains be at once creamy and firm.

According to Constance and Rosario Del Nero, authors of Risotto, a Taste of Milan, "Historians estimate that the cultivation of rice began in India in 3000 B.C. and soon spread to China and Africa. Alexander the Great brought rice to the valleys of the Indus and Euphrates in the fourth century, B.C. The history of rice in Western cooking began in the seventh century A.D., when the Saracens invaded Spain. The Spanish immediately used it in cooking, and the Aragons brought the tradition of its cultivation with them to Naples in 1441. By 1465, it was already grown extensively around Milan." They go on to say, "The exact link between the growing of rice and the birth of risotto is a bit fuzzy. It seems only logical that the beginning of mass cultivation of rice around Milan, and the new interest in cooking, gave birth to risotto sometime in the late 15th century. For the past two centuries, risotto and risotto-like recipes have abounded."

As a staple of the Mediterranean diet, with its focus on vegetables, fish, poultry, grains and beans, risotto also is very versatile, lending itself to myriad sauces and ingredients.

And while risotto has the reputation of being difficult to make, few preparations are as straightforward. It can be made in a mere 20 to 30 minutes, but with a glass of wine in hand, the constant stirring that's required might not seem so tedious. The process, however, is not without its precarious moments; for instance, you must not drown the rice in too much broth or let it get so dry that it scorches. There should always be some liquid visible in the pot.

Yet there isn't always agreement, even among the experts, about how to produce the perfect risotto - one that is neither dry nor runny, where the grains are distinct, but creamily bound together and glimmering with a tempting sheen on top. One thing all will agree on is that consistent heat is the goal in making perfect risotto; it should be intense enough to keep the rice from simply stewing, but not so hot that it burns.

Risotto may be prepared in a rainbow of colors, each hue reflecting its own flavor. Yellow risotto gets its hue from lemons or zucchini blossoms or, as in risotto alla Milanese, from saffron. Mixtures of herbs or spinach tints risotto green. Salmon or shrimp turn risotto into delicate shades of pink, while tomatoes or vino rosso produce red risottos. Risotto alla fragola (strawberry) also is a stunning crimson.

A trip to Venice will reward the epicure with risotto in squid's ink, a black-hued preparation that is a culinary high point for many travelers. In Mantua, they make amber-hued risotto with orange pumpkin squash. In Treviso, they color it purple by adding radicchio. Romans like their risotto white with nothing added except a little butter and some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or better yet, four kinds of cheese, as in risotto ai quattro formaggi. In the Veneto, anything added to a risotto - meat, vegetables, fish, beans - is cooked along with the rice (delicate items such as seafood might be added toward the end of the process). In Lombardy, the key elements are cooked separately and added to the risotto when it is almost done.

Risotto is a wonderful vehicle not only for color but for flavor, too. The variations are endless, utilizing the wide variety of natural ingredients provided by the earth and sea.

In Italy, risotto is conducive to a host of regional accents. Venetians are fond of risi e bisi, a thick risotto that combines rice with peas. In the hills of Piedmont, where the locals make Barolo, the dish of choice is risotto al Barolo - a simple concoction employing the native wine with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. On the plains of Piedmont, a peasant dish called panissa combines risotto with beans, onion, wine and salami. At the other extreme, topping risotto with thin shavings of white truffles transforms it into a dish truly fit for a king.

Like pasta, risotto is based on modest ingredients. At its most basic, risotto relies on kitchen staples - rice, butter, broth - but like the basic black dress, it can be dressed up or down.

Preparing perfect risotto

The rice, broth and wine, are the basic building blocks from which every risotto dish is assembled.

"You toast the rice first," advises Renoir's Chef Stratta. "You can tell when it's toasted because it makes a crackling sound as it hits the side of the pot when you're stirring it. Then when you add the wine, the rice will absorb it immediately, and the inside of the rice will have flavor."

Stratta, who was recently demonstrating his technique before an audience at Cuisines of the Sun Wine and Food Festival at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, recommends using a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc because "you want the acidity of the wine to balance flavors."

The broth (beef, chicken, veal, vegetable or fish), depending on the type of risotto being made, should be delicate, as cooking tends to concentrate a liquid's flavor. It should always be kept just below simmering in a saucepan nearby, with additional broth kept heating on a back burner. Never add more than one-half to three-quarters of a cup of broth at a time to the rice. Decrease the amount toward the end of the cooking process.

Risotto should have just enough liquid for it to have the flowing consistency Italians call all'onda, which means that it should flow like a wave onto the platter when it is served. The rice is done when it is al dente; the grains should have a bit of a bite in the center, but should be soft and tender on the outside.

While various chefs advocate any number of cooking methods to produce the perfect risotto, there are essentially two approaches that will ensure success - the conventional method and "risotto interrupted." Whichever method is used, it's imperative to time the preparation of risotto just before it is intended to be served.

Restaurants in Italy have been cooking risotto in the risotto interrupted fashion for years. It is said to have evolved because a restaurateur didn't want to keep patrons waiting for their first course. This practical method calls for cooking the rice halfway, cooling it quickly and finishing it off up to a day later. It's a handy time-saver that most American restaurants have adopted, too.

Kitchen tips


Choose rice that is fresh with no off odors or any powdery, broken grains.
Never wash the rice, because the starches are necessary to the finished product.
Use a heavy-bottomed, shallow pot (4- to 6-quarts) or a deep, 12"-wide, heavy-bottomed skillet. Because each cup of rice will swell to three cups, make sure there's plenty of room for stirring.
Never use high heat. A constant medium or medium-low temperature is sufficient.
Stir with a wooden spoon, because the action of a metal spoon may damage the grains as they soften.
Add only a good quality wine similar to that that will be served with the finished dish.
Use fresh, top quality, seasonal ingredients, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
The broth should be delicious. If canned broth is used, improve it by simmering it for 30 minutes with onion, celery, carrot, parsley, garlic and basil. Strain it before using in the risotto.
Heat the broth to just below a simmer. Adding cold broth to the risotto will chill the rice and cause the starch to coagulate. Never add more than one-half to three-quarter cups of broth at a time to the rice. Decrease the amount toward the end of the cooking process. Adding too much broth at the end can result in overcooked risotto.
Never cover risotto while it is cooking. This will steam the rice and will not produce the desired consistency.
Begin tasting the rice about 15 minutes after the first cup of broth is added. It shouldn't be rock-hard in the center and mushy on the outside, but al dente.
Perfectly cooked risotto should be supple and fluid with a creamy, slightly soupy consistency, but with body.
Serve risotto as soon as it is ready - because it continues to cook after it has been taken off the heat. The cooked risotto should always be piled, steaming hot, in the center of warmed, wide, shallow bowls.
Leftover rice may be mixed with some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and formed into pancakes and fried in butter until well browned and crisp. ¶
Basic Risotto
Conventional Method


4 to 6 cups broth, either chicken, beef, fish or vegetable, heated to simmering
2 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
11/2 cups risotto rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Begin by heating the oil and/or butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, add the shallots or chopped onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Depending on the season, you might add tomatoes, chopped zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, artichoke hearts, fennel, butternut squash, spinach, pumpkin or green beans to the pan before adding the rice, or cook separately and add later in the process. Strong-flavored vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, roasted red peppers or beets, are not recommended because their flavors can overwhelm the risotto.

Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat until the edges of the rice turn transparent, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Pour in hot broth to cover rice by a quarter-inch. Simmer for five minutes, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring until each batch has been absorbed. Repeat the process until the grains swell and form a velvety combination. Each grain should be firm, but not hard in the center. This should take about 18 minutes.

At this point, you may add ingredients that only need to be heated through, like sautéed shrimp, lobster, scallops, chicken livers, sun-dried tomatoes or peas.

Remove from the heat and stir in butter and cheese. Cover and let stand off the heat for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Taste for seasoning. The result is called mantecato.

Transfer to warmed, shallow soup bowls and serve immediately, passing additional cheese.

Risotto Interrupted

Begin by heating the oil and/or butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat until the edges of the rice turn transparent, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Pour in hot broth to cover rice by a quarter-inch. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring until each batch has been absorbed. Repeat the process until half is used, at which point the conventional process is "interrupted."

The half-cooked rice is now spread out evenly on a lightly oiled baking pan. It may be kept at room temperature up to four hours or refrigerated for up to a day.

To finish the process later, bring half a cup of the remaining liquid to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the partially cooked rice, salt and pepper. Continue cooking slowly, adding liquid as before, until the rice is al dente.

Remove from the heat and follow serving instructions for conventional method.

Risotto with Shrimp, Fresh Tomatoes & Basil
from Carole Kotkin's kitchen


1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, reserving shells
6 to 8 cups chicken broth, either homemade or low-sodium canned, heated to simmering
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
10 fresh basil leaves, cut in julienne
Dry the shrimp thoroughly on paper towels. Add the shells to the chicken broth and bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan. Let the broth simmer for about 30 minutes before straining and discarding the shells. Keep the broth hot, but not boiling, for the rest of the cooking time. In a heavy, 3-quart casserole, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat.

Add the shrimp and cook for no more than 2 to 3 minutes or until they turn pink. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Reserve. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the risotto pot over low heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and cook over medium heat until the edges of the rice turn transparent, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the wine and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Pour in hot broth to cover rice by a quarter-inch.

Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring until each batch has been absorbed.

Repeat the process until the grains swell and form a velvety combination. Each grain should be firm, but not hard in the center. This should take about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in remaining butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, basil and reserved shrimp. Cover and let stand off the heat for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Taste for seasoning.

Serves 4-6 as a starter, or 4 as a main course.

Wine suggestion: Pinot Grigio

Mascarpone and Herb Risotto
with Wild Mushrooms & Chives
Chef Alessandro Stratta, Renoir

For the sautéed mushrooms:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chanterelle mushrooms
1/2 cup oyster mushrooms
1/2 cup black trumpet mushrooms
1/2 cup porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons chicken broth, either homemade or low-sodium canned
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all of the mushrooms and sauté until they begin to release their liquid and then begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and stir in chopped chives. Set aside and re-warm just before serving.

For the risotto:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1 cup vialone nano rice
3 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms, crumbled coarsely (use food processor)
1 cup dry white wine
4 to 6 cups chicken broth, either homemade or low-sodium canned, heated to simmering
3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons spinach and parsley purée
Sauté of mushrooms (see recipe above)
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shavings (shaved with a vegetable peeler)
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, add onions and shallots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat until the edges of the rice turn transparent, about 3 minutes, stirring all the while to make sure it is completely coated with the butter.

Once the rice begins to "crackle" add the crumbled dry mushrooms. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Pour in hot broth to cover rice by a quarter-inch. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring until each batch has been absorbed. Repeat the process until the grains swell and form a velvety combination. Each grain should be firm, but not hard in the center. This should take about 18 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in remaining butter, mascarpone and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cover and let stand off the heat for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Season well and incorporate the herb purée moments before serving. The rice should be a vivid, light green color.

Place the risotto in the center of warmed, individual shallow bowls and top with sautéed mushrooms. Garnish with a shaving of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (pictured).

Serves 4-6 as a starter, or 4 as a main course.

Wine suggestion: Barolo

Risotto with Pumpkin & Rosemary
Chef Renato Piccolotto, Hotel Cipriani

For the Fondo di Zucca:

7 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 pounds peeled pumpkin, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until lightly browned. Add the rosemary and the garlic cloves. Add the pumpkin, season with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat until the pumpkin begins to fall apart. Set aside until ready to use.

For the risotto:

1 small onion, chopped
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
12/3 cups Carnaroli rice
6 to 8 cups beef or chicken broth, either homemade or low-sodium canned, heated to simmering
1 to 11/2 cups fondo di zucca (pumpkin with garlic and rosemary)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat until the edges of the rice turn transparent, about 3 minutes, stirring all the while to make sure it is completely coated with the butter. Pour in hot broth to cover rice by a quarter-inch. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring until each batch has been absorbed. Repeat the process until the grains swell and form a velvety combination. When the rice is about halfway cooked, add the pumpkin. Continue cooking until each grain of rice is firm, but not hard in the center. This should take about 18 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in remaining 5 tablespoons butter and the cheese. Cover and let stand off the heat for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with rosemary.

Serves 4-6 as a starter, or 4 as a main course.

Wine suggestion: Dolcetto

Saffron Risotto
Chef Gualtiero Marchesi,
Restaurant Gualtiero Marchesi at L'Alberta


6 to 8 cups vegetable broth, heated to simmering
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon diced shallots
2 cups Carnaroli rice
1 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 gold leaves (optional), available at art-supply stores
Measure out 1/2 cup of the broth into a saucepan and add saffron. Simmer until saffron threads dissolve, about 5 minutes. Keep both saucepans of broth hot, but not boiling, for the rest of the cooking time. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, add onions and shallots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat until the edges of the rice turn transparent, about 3 minutes, stirring all the while to make sure it is completely coated with the butter. Add the wine and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Pour in hot saffron broth and simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding remaining plain vegetable broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring until each batch has been absorbed. Repeat the process until the grains swell and form a velvety combination. Each grain should be firm, but not hard in the center. This should take about 18 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in remaining butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cover and let stand off the heat for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with a gold leaf, if desired.

Serves 6-8 as a starter, or 6 as a main course.

Wine suggestion: Arneis



Article first published in The Wine News

 

Food Editor Carole Kotkin is a Miami-based cooking instructor and consultant who co-authored Mmmmiami - Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere. It provides clear, simple directions for 150 dishes, from the simple (good old Key Lime Pie) to the sublime (Coconut Mahi-Mahi with Passion Fruit Sauce). The wide array of flavors is especially wonderful and startling to those used to monocultural cooking; Miami cuisine is the product of many generations of interbreeding and hybrid vigor. Click on the link below for more details or to order.

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