ALMOST HANDS-FREE RISOTTO WITH PARMESAN AND HERBS

ALMOST HANDS-FREE RISOTTO WITH PARMESAN AND HERBS image

Yield 3 people

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

The Solution
We started our testing as we would with a traditional risotto recipe, but rather than adding the broth in small intervals after the wine had been absorbed, we added roughly half the liquid all at once and simmered it, with only a few stirs during the process. But when we tried adding the remainder of the broth without constantly stirring, we were left with rice that was overdone on the bottom and wet on the top.
For the rice to cook evenly without being stirred, we had to keep moist heat evenly distributed from the top of the pot to the bottom through the duration of cooking. That meant we needed a cooking vessel that could retain even heat-and our saucepan wasn't cutting it. We switched to a Dutch oven. Its thick, heavy bottom, deep sides, and tight-fitting lid are made to trap and distribute heat as evenly as possible.
We started cooking our risotto in a Dutch oven and covered it as soon as we added our liquid. Then, to ensure the bottom didn't cook more quickly than the top, we stirred the pot for just a few minutes and turned off the heat. Without sitting over a direct flame, the rice turned perfectly al dente just from the heat retained in the pot. After a short, covered, off-heat rest, the sauce was perfectly creamy and the rice was thickened, velvety, and just barely chewy. We finished the dish by stirring in butter, herbs, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
table salt
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
group black pepper

Steps:

We started cooking our risotto in a Dutch oven and covered it as soon as we added our liquid. Then, to ensure the bottom didn't cook more quickly than the top, we stirred the pot for just a few minutes and turned off the heat. Without sitting over a direct flame, the rice turned perfectly al dente just from the heat retained in the pot. After a short, covered, off-heat rest, the sauce was perfectly creamy and the rice was thickened, velvety, and just barely chewy. We finished the dish by stirring in butter, herbs, and a squeeze of lemon juice. We were also pleased to find that this technique lent itself to a few heartier variations with chicken, where the seared-then-broth-poached meat boosted the dish's savory flavor. ____________ Bring broth and water to boil in large sauce-pan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir 5 cups hot broth mixture into rice; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. Add 3/4 cup hot broth mixture and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, and chives; season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to 1/2 cup remaining broth mixture to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately.