Risotto is one of the most delicious rice dishes one could ever eat. And it's also garnered a reputation as being one of the most difficult to cook. But that's not entirely true. As you'll see in the recipe below, there are just a few steps that have to be followed and if you do them right, you'll be amazed at just how easy it can be. And you'll likely make risotto more often.
This risotto uses carrots, giving it a beautiful orange hue that will elevate any plate. Other classic risotto ingredients are added to them including wine, veggie stock and nutty Parmesan cheese. Of course all risotto begins with rice and don't think you can skip out on the Arborio and use any rice you happen to have on hand. Arborio rice is short and very starchy, and you need all that starch in order to make your risotto perfectly creamy. Start with the right rice, and you're already off to a good start.
Carrot Parmesan Risotto
4
10 minutes
25 minutes
35 minutes
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Place the vegetable stock in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and continue simmering.
Melt butter in a large non-stick frying pan set over medium heat. When melted add the onion and grated carrots and season with salt and pepper. Stir to mix all ingredients and continue cooking for about 3 minutes, just until the vegetables are soft. Add the Arborio rice, stir, and cook for about 2 minutes to toast the rice. Add the wine and cook until the wine has been almost completely absorbed.
Use a ladle to take about one cup of simmering stock out of the pan an add it to the rice mixture. Stir, and let cook for three to five minutes before stirring again. Stirring the right amount is important for the perfect risotto. You need to stir it frequently, as that agitates the starch on the rice and coaxes it into the stock to make that creamy sauce. But you also don't want to stir too much, or the risotto won't cook properly. Every three to five minutes is a good guideline. Wait until the stock has been mostly absorbed before adding another cup of hot stock and repeating the stirring process.
When enough stock has been added and stirred in to get the desired consistency you want, take the risotto off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
