Risotto Mix Food

THE BEST RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm the chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• Heat the olive oil in another medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter has melted, about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and toast, stirring only once, until it smells nutty and starts to turn light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has evaporated completely, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Ladle one cup of the warm stock into the rice and cook, stirring gently without stopping, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes (you will know it's time to add more stock when you move the rice aside and no liquid pools in the center).
• Repeat this process, adding more stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente, 17 to 19 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You may have a little stock left over. If so, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) If you prefer your risotto on the saucier side, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
• Stir in the Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of black pepper and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

RISOTTO MIX

Steps:

• For the mix: Layer ingredients in order listed, packing lightly before adding each layer.
• Seal jar, cover top with fabric and attach a gift tag with directions for preparing the risotto.
• In a medium saucepan, heat broth and keep at a simmer.
• Heat oil and butter in a large skillet; add the shallot and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until tender, stir in risotto mix.
• Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until rice glistens.
• Pour about 1/2 cup broth into skillet, cook and stir at medium-low heat until rice absorbs broth, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add 1/2 cup of broth and repeat; continue until all liquid has been incorporated, rice should be tender but slightly firm at the center.
• When the rice is cooked through, stir in cheese and serve immediately.

MIXED MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in mushroom powder. Cover, lower heat, and keep at a simmer until needed for risotto.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in another large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and bay leaf and stir until evenly coated. Increase heat to medium and cook until rice releases a nutty smell and looks glassy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and 1/4 cup of simmering broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until all liquid has been absorbed.
• Continue adding chicken broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring constantly and only adding more broth when all liquid has been absorbed, until all broth has been added and rice is tender but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat remaining olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they have released their liquid and it has cooked off, 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms to the risotto and stir gently. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand for 1 to 2 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired.

RISOTTO

Steps:

• PREPARING THE RICE.
• Peel and finely chop the onion.
• Melt the butter in a 4-to-5-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly.
• Add the onion and cook, continuing to stir, until it turns soft and translucent.
• Turn the heat down if the onion starts to brown.
• Meanwhile, pour the chicken broth into a separate saucepan, set over medium heat, and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this simmer the whole time you are preparing the risotto.
• Once the onion is soft, add the rice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes.
• Adjust the heat as necessary-- if the rice is cooked at too high a heat, it will turn brown and take on an undesirable flavor.
• ADDING THE LIQUID TO THE RICE.
• Using a ladle, scoop up about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of broth.
• Pour it in the pan with the rice, stirring constantly with a spoon.
• After the first addition of broth, the rice mixture will look a bit soupy.
• As the rice begins to cook, stir it constantly, making sure that you scrape along the bottom of the pan so that it does not stick.
• You should see little bubbles popping up on the liquid from time to time.
• If it bubbles more vigorously than this, turn the heat down to medium-low.
• When most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice and the rice begins to look a bit dry, add another ladle of broth to the pan and stir constantly, as before.
• DETERMINING WHEN THE RISOTTO IS COOKED.
• Continue to add the broth in 1/2-to-3/4-cup batches and stir the rice until you have used most of the broth (this will probably take about 20 minutes).
• It is now time to test whether the risotto is cooked.
• Spoon up a grain of rice and bite into it-- it should be tender without being too mushy.
• If it is still crunchy and tastes a bit starchy, you will need to continue adding liquid and cooking further.
• If it looks as if you will run out of chicken broth and your rice is still not cooked, don't be alarmed.
• Because of variations in individual stoves and cooking temperatures, you may need more liquid than called for in the recipe.
• Simply heat up another cup or 2 of chicken broth.
• If you run out of broth, use hot water.
• When the rice is tender and the risotto has a creamy consistency, almost like thick oatmeal, it is done.
• SERVING THE RISOTTO.
• Add salt and pepper to the risotto, about 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until it seems well seasoned to you.
• Stir.
• Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir well.
• Serve the risotto immediately in warm bowls and have extra grated Parmesan on hand.

SIMPLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine broth with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and keep at a bare simmer.
• In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice, and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 2 cups hot broth; simmer over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue adding broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, 20 to 25 minutes total (you may not need all the broth).
• Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper.
• MILANESE: In step 1, add saffron to broth mixture. In step 3, after adding last cup of broth to risotto, stir in peas.
• TOMATO: In step 1, replace broth mixture with tomato juice and 2 cups water.
• MUSHROOM: At the beginning of step 3, in a separate skillet, cook mushrooms with butter over medium-high until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Proceed with step 3, and after adding last cup of broth to risotto, stir in cooked mushrooms.
• SEAFOOD: In step 1, replace broth with clam juice and 2 cups water. At the end of step 3, a few minutes before risotto is done, stir in scallops and shrimp. In step 4, omit the Parmesan.