uh oh...risotto!

My great friend Chessi recently returned from Costa Rica, where she furthered her yoga training at the Nosara Yoga Institute. Experiencing yoga during sunrise on the beach must be absolutely exhilarating!!! Anyway, I am getting off point here. I am so glad she is back and has been sharing all her wonderfulness with me! One of her many talents is knowing her way around anyone's kitchen. I had one taste of the risotto she made for friends and that was it. I HAD-TO-HAVE-MORE! I asked for her assistance in attempting my own risotto dish. She came over to my place for a night of wine and cooking. Here's our night in slowmo:

Step 1:

Start your stock cubes in a large bowl over medium heat

{we used 3 cubes - follow the instructions for H2O amount}

Step 2: Cut, chop, or grate all your veggies.

{Risotto can be made with any vegetable- so pick your favorites!}

Step 3: Sauté your veggies over medium heat with the "appropriate amount of butter."

{When Chessi said that I just stared at her! What does that mean!? It means about 2 tablespoons.}

Once you add these veggies, you will not stop stirring until it is done. So have your hair back, a glass of wine next to you, and get ready! 

{The carrots take the longest to cook, so add them to your hot buttery pot first. This is the order we placed things in the pot: carrots, onions, mushrooms, a little salt and pepper, stir, stir, stir, then zucchini shavings, and 2 minced garlic cloves.}

 Step 4: When the veggies are cooked down, add the box of arborio risotto rice. Continue stirring the rice over medium heat for a couple of minutes. This is called "toasting the rice."

Step 5: The first liquid you introduce to the pot is white wine or white wine vinegar - just a splash.

Let it absorb (or reduce). Don't stop stirring!

Ok- remember step one? The chicken stock? It should be dissolved and simmering by now...

Step 5: Add chicken stock to risotto rice* 2 ladles at a time* until liquid is absorbed. Then you add 2 more. This, I learned, is extremely important. By adding the stock slowly you create a creamy soft rice.  

Step 6: Have you tasted it yet? Try it! Does it need salt or pepper? Is the rice creamy and done? If not, keep stirring and adding chicken stock.
If it tastes great, grate fresh parmesan cheese over the pot and stir it in.

Step 7: Grab a bowl and enjoy this amazingly delicious meal! You will have leftovers for days. Don't feel like having it over and over again? Try this.{risotto cakes}

This dish took us about 1 1/2 hours to complete. It is a labor of love for sure, but boy is it worth it!