Extra-Rampy Ramp Risotto Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good risotto? ›

Mixing in the right ratio of broth to rice is an important part of the process. Remember that it will always be 3 times as much broth as rice, meaning if you use 1 cup of rice you will need to use at least 3 cups of broth and the amount increases if there are more people.

You can use lobster stock for a lobster risotto or mushroom stock for a mushroom risotto, but don't blindly use chicken stock or vegetable stock for every risotto you make. The rice has its own subtle flavor, which shouldn't be masked by a concentrated stock.

A crispy, skillet-cooked chicken thigh on top of a bowl of risotto most definitely makes it a hearty meal. While sliced chicken breast works too, the crackly skin from a chicken thigh is a wonderful contrast to the creamy risotto.

Aromatics like shallots, garlic, and thyme build layers of flavor, while gradually adding hot stock as you stir helps coax the starches out of the arborio rice for the creamiest risotto. We love incorporating mushrooms for added flavor, but feel free to make the dish without—or swap in your favorite vegetable!

Well, an average serving of risotto requires about 70 g (5 oz) so one cup will be enough for 2 large servings - of course it depends also on the rest of the ingredients.

Don't Rinse The Rice

Unlike other rice such as jasmine or basmati, you should not rinse arborio rice (the rice used to cook risotto) before cooking. The starch on the outside of long grain rice causes it to become sticky and gummy when cooked. But for risotto, the starch actually helps create an extra creamy sauce.

The amount of water needed for making risotto can vary depending on the recipe and the type of rice being used. In general, a good starting point is to use a ratio of about 3-4 cups of liquid for every cup of rice. This liquid can be a combination of water, broth, or wine.

If you are able to get white wine vinegar then you can add a tablespoon of this to the rice and let it boil away before adding any stock and this will often give some of the flavour of wine, whilst reducing the alcohol content.

How much broth for 2 cups of risotto? ›

Remember, there will always be 3 times as much broth as rice–if you use 1 cup of rice you will need at least 3 cups of broth. We've made a simple chart to measure for the right serving sizes: Risotto for two people: ¾ cup of rice, at least 2 ¼ cups of broth.

According to Salvatore, it all depends on the ingredients. The chef prefers oil over butter (and oil works particularly well with seafood risottos), but butter is better for vegetable-based dishes like Rampoldi's black truffle with mushroom or mixed vegetable and ginger risotto.

In Italy, when it is not used as a complete meal, risotto is considered a main dish, and is usually served with small portions of meat or light vegetable side dishes. For example, it is very common to pair risotto with a couple of lemon escalopes, or with bresaola and arugula.

When cooking risotto on a stovetop, you're required to periodically stir it to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Some people, however, stir it too frequently. This adds air into the risotto, cooling it down and making it gluey.

We par cook it. We make the recipe without finishing it with cream or butter or cheese. We pour the hot risotto onto a sheet tray to cool quickly and then store it in a container. Once we are ready to serve, we reheat the risotto with a little chicken stock, and finish with cream, butter, and some parmesan cheese.

The most important thing when preparing risotto is choosing the right rice, since long or sushi grains won't work. One chef favorite: carnaroli rice. Many recipes call for arborio, but longer-grained carnaroli is key to that sought-after creaminess (plus it's harder to overcook).