Parmesan Risotto

My first taste of risotto came in the cooking school I got to go to a couple of years ago. Prior to that it had existed in my imagination alongside crepe suzette and duck a l’orange as foods that only the rich and glamorous ate.

But then I made it and I went, what’s all this fuss about? It’s fantastic, but it’s not like you have to milk a rare breed of goat that lives on a remote mountaintop in order to make it.

The big secret is, it’s just like cooking rice, except you stir it. You just have to buy the right kind of rice.

Parmesan Risotto
1 1/2 C Arborio rice
1/2 C onion, diced
3 C chicken broth
3 C water (as needed)
1/2 C butter
1/2 C parmesan cheese
2 T parsley, diced

Melt the butter in a tall sided saucepan, and sweat the onions. When the onions are translucent, pour in the rice and toss to coat each grain in butter. Add the chicken broth and cook until boiling. Turn the heat down to a simmer. When the rice turns white it’s about half way done and it’s time to begin stirring. Stir frequently until the mixture turns creamy and thick, adding water as necessary to cook the rice all the way through. Add the cheese, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

A “proper” risotto is loose enough to not hold a shape, and that’s lovely, but sometimes I like it a little thick. I make this in big batches and keep it in the fridge to serve me and Atti at lunch time. Atti loves it, and as he has struggled with eating it’s been way easier for him to eat than regular rice. It’s like feeding him cheesy creamy oatmeal.