Basic Risotto

Serves 6

Ingredients

300 grams Ferron or Arborio rice
30 ml of olive oil
50 grams of butter*
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 litres chicken stock
60 grams parmesan, grated

Method

Risotto stock

Put chicken carcass, carrots, onion and celery and a beef bone into a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring slowly to the boil . Cook one hour. This does not need the same attention to skimming as for brodo. Being cloudy does not matter in risotto.

To cook the rice

Melt the butter and oil together. Fry the onion but do not colour Fry the rice with the onions, and then add a few ladles of stock. Do not let the rice brown. Turn down heat and cover. After 10 minutes, add more stock and stir again. You will need to keep watching, stirring and adding stock. Takes 25-30 minutes approx. Fold through parmesan before serving

Note

Many of the old fashioned recipes use more butter, particularly added at the end mantecato (creamed) but people now seem to prefer a less buttery flavour. However you can't make true risotto just with oil. You must be able to smell and taste butter. It's an important part of the dish. An exception can be made with fish risotto. With fish, just oil can be used and no butter in risotto

Many recipes also suggest the addition of wine and less stock. Up to you, but be careful about the use of wine, it can add an acidity which really detracts from the basic flavour of the rice.