Resurrected Recipes: Reduced Stir Risotto

Welcome to the first installation of a new series: Resurrected Recipes!

Recipes go in and out of fashion, just like hemlines and bangs. We get caught up in the newest trends and forget that some older recipes, while dated, are really yummy. This series examines those recipes in your parents’ or grandparents’ recipe boxes that deserve to be resurrected.

For our first Resurrected Recipe, I’ve decided to resurrect risotto. (And no, not just because I enjoy alliteration. Okay, maybe.) You couldn’t go to a restaurant or turn on Food Network in the ‘90s without coming across some version of what was originally a Northern Italian dish. A lot of people are turned off by the constant stirring that’s needed to achieve the perfect creamy texture. But how did all those restaurants do all that stirring?

I was cooking professionally when risotto hit its peak, and I’ll let you in on a little secret. Most restaurants were not making each order of risotto individually, adding stock and stirring furiously. We would par-cook the rice and finish it per order.

How does this translate to your kitchen? Trust me. I do risotto fairly frequently, and it’s easy. It’s also a great fridge raider recipe. As long as you have a bit of oil or butter, some medium- or short-grained rice, some allia (onion, garlic, shallots, or leeks), stock or broth, and a bit of grating cheese, you’ve got a risotto. I use it for leftover meat, all sorts of vegetables, and it always turns out well.

Reduced Stirring Basic Risotto Recipe for Four to Six People

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 small onion, 1 large shallot, 2 to 4 garlic cloves, or 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), cut into a fine dice (onions and shallots), minced (garlic), or sliced into 1/4” rings
1 cup medium- or short-grained rice (Arborio rice is easy to find in most grocery stores these days), DO NOT RINSE
5 cups liquid (I typically use 4 ½ cups stock or broth – vegetable, chicken, fish, seafood, etc. – and ½ cup wine)
1/3 cup grated hard cheese, plus a little more for sprinkling over the top – depending on what I’m putting in the risotto, I like Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padana, Pecorino Romano, Manchego, Gruyere, or a hard Asiago

Directions

Bring your liquids to a simmer.

In a large sauté pan or deep skillet over medium heat, sauté the allium of your choice in the butter or olive oil until the allium is translucent. If you’re using garlic, sauté it for less than a minute or just until you can smell it. If you’re using leeks, sauté them until the rings collapse, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the rice to the oil and stir until each grain of rice is coated in the butter or olive oil. Sauté the rice for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the rice grains are toasted. Be sure to stir constantly. (Yes, this is a reduced stirring recipe, but this first part is important.)

Now here’s the part where my recipe departs from those Food Network recipes from the ‘90s. (I’m looking at you, David Rosengarten and Michael Lomonaco.) Instead of adding one ladle of liquid into the risotto and frantically stirring until it’s all absorbed before adding another, just add all the liquid in at once. Yes, you read that right. Add all the liquid in at once. Bring the liquid to a simmer, stir it about every 5 minutes, and that’s it.

The risotto should take about 20 minutes to cook to al dente. At about 15 minutes, test a few grains. They should be chewy but not grainy. Once you’ve achieved al dente, stir vigorously for about 2 minutes. This is how you get that lovely, creamy texture. A good risotto does not need heavy cream.

If you’re adding meats, herbs, or vegetables, this is the time to do it. Once everything is warmed through, remove the risotto from the heat and add the cheese. Stir through and serve with an extra sprinkle of cheese.

Here are some combinations my family likes:

• Chicken broth, white wine, leftover chicken, and broccoli, asparagus, green beans with some basil or tarragon
• Chicken broth, red wine, leftover pork tenderloin, frozen peas, and diced butternut squash with sage or rosemary
• Shrimp or lobster stock (or chicken broth), white wine, shrimp, kale, and leeks with dill or tarragon
• Vegetable broth, white wine, green beans, zucchini, Roma tomatoes (seeds removed), and baby spinach with oregano and thyme