# Share your favourite risotto recipe. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 26, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337 "2014-02-26T18:15:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/1 "2014-02-26T18:15:04Z")
Mine is the classic Mushroom Risotto: Chop mushrooms and saute in butter with thyme until just brown. Set aside. Saute shallots in butter and olive oil until soft. Add Carnaroli (Arborio) rice. Saute to coat thoroughly, until grains become slightly translucent. Add cup of white wine. Reduce. Add hot chicken stock a couple of ladles at a time and stir rice while it absorbs liquid. Add more stock in batches until rice is done (al dente, or to your liking). Add the mushrooms. Add small amount of half/half or heavy cream. Add grated parm (1 cup or to taste). Add black ground pepper. Serve immediately. With steak. My wife and I do other types of risotto as well but this is our favourite. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/2 "2014-02-26T21:57:29Z")
I found an Arborio rice that cooks like other rice - e.g., boil water, add rice, cover on low heat, stir regularly - and still tastes great - plump pearls of goodness. Saute some shrimp, quartered artichoke hearts and mushrooms in olive oil and garlic, adding some oregano and black pepper along the way. Dump in the rice and stir. Super-easy - maybe 20 minutes. It’s a go-to for an easy dinner that my teenage kids eat… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/3 "2014-02-26T23:48:41Z")
Cream? Half-and-half?! What? 😉 I typically just do risotto milanese when I need risotto. Saffron, butter, onion, white wine, homemade stock, parmesan. It doesn’t get any better than that. Same basic procedure as yours, minus the cream. It’s quite rich and creamy enough as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/4 "2014-02-27T02:29:29Z")
I follow Alton Brown’s [Good Eats](http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/good-eats/8-series/do-the-rice-thing.html) technique/recipe and I had fantastic results the first few times, but the last time or two came out awful. I’m not sure why, if maybe I just got a bad box of rice or was too impatient. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/5 "2014-02-27T02:53:19Z")
[Carrot Risotto](http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/carrot-risotto/) I’m not much of a carrot lover- I picked this one because carrots are one of the few veggies my SO will eat and I wanted something different than the basic risotto. It’s delicious. My only complaint is that grating carrots without a food processor is a PITA. Totally worth it though… ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/6 "2014-02-27T02:54:30Z")
My risotto is usually a way to use up whatever’s in the fridge, say I have a chunk of cheese or some leftover cooked veg, just whack it in at the end. I don’t bother heating up the stock before I add it, I just add a glug at a time and let the heat of the pan bring it up to temp. Never had any complaints! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/7 "2014-02-27T12:41:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Cream? Half-and-half?! What? 😉 > > I typically just do risotto milanese when I need risotto. Saffron, butter, onion, white wine, homemade stock, parmesan. It doesn’t get any better than that. Same basic procedure as yours, minus the cream. It’s quite rich and creamy enough as it is. I know. So wrong but tastes so right. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/8 "2014-02-27T15:34:54Z")
My wife made one with bacon last night that was AWESOME. It was basically as **QuickSilver** describes, only with about 1/2-3/4 cup of crumbled bacon and some sauteed mushrooms added at the end. The mushrooms weren’t part of the recipe, but they were kind of old and needed to be used. Probably didn’t hurt that we used our 29 month aged Parmigiano Reggiano either… ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/9 "2014-02-27T15:55:50Z")
I try something a little different if I can, but one common denominator for me has been homemade chicken stock. I cook the stock for at least 4 hours adding celery, carrots, onion, thyme. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/10 "2014-02-27T18:14:10Z")
OK, for my mushroom risotto, I differ from Quicksilver in just a few respects: I use leek rather than shallots I use vermouth rather than normal white wine for first liquid I add the mushrooms after the first ladleful of stock not at the end (I think I got that from Oliver) I put in a knob of butter, not cream. Only 1/3 cup cheese, more likely Pecorino than Parmesan Right at the end I add a handful or so of chopped basil If I’m feeling swish, I might tear in some pancetta or prosciutto as well. ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/11 "2014-02-27T18:59:41Z")
speaking of risotto how do they cook it so fast on Hells Kitchen? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/12 "2014-02-27T19:06:50Z")
I have no idea. I cook on a gas stove and I use hot liquid to keep the temperature consistently high, and it still takes me almost a full hour once the rice goes in. Perhaps they use a very small amount of rice where as I typically use two cups of uncooked rice. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/13 "2014-02-27T20:29:35Z")
QuickSilver, any risotto should only be 20 minutes or so give or take (depending on how toothsome you like it) after the rice. The cooking time for the rice is no different than any other white rice, it’s just how much liquid the rice can absorb that’s different. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/14 "2014-02-27T20:29:56Z")
An hour? Wow. Usually, it’s about 20-25 minutes for me once I hit the rice with the hot stock. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/15 "2014-02-27T21:30:30Z")
😕 Okay… it sure as hell seems like it takes me close to an hour to make. And it’s not like I cook it until is like porridge - it still has some bite to it. I’m setting a clock timer the next time I make it (probably this weekend) and see how long between the rice going in and the risotto going on the plate. Is everyone using 2 cups of rice (uncooked)? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/16 "2014-02-27T21:36:50Z")
Wait… you guys put a lid on the pot and stir from time to time or are you standing there constantly stirring? Because I do the latter. It’s just how I roll with risotto. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/17 "2014-02-27T21:46:15Z")
> [@flaming\_yawn](#): > > speaking of risotto how do they cook it so fast on Hells Kitchen? Pressure cooker? > **[How to make risotto in a pressure cooker in about 12 minutes](https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/eat-drink/how-to-make-risotto-in-a-pressure-cooker-in-about-12-minutes/article_a81ab02a-4fbf-541e-ad13-3126e1042342.html)** > > risotto.jpg ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/18 "2014-02-27T22:33:45Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Wait… you guys put a lid on the pot and stir from time to time or are you standing there constantly stirring? Because I do the latter. It’s just how I roll with risotto. Lid? That ain’t risotto. Stand, stir, ladle in stock as needed. ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/19 "2014-02-27T23:04:02Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Lid? That ain’t risotto. Stand, stir, ladle in stock as needed. mmmm…the French method uses a cover. (From the Julia Child’s Cookbook). Now let’s get into an argument about the meaning of ‘risotto’ and whether it is French or Italian! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337/20 "2014-02-28T00:20:47Z")
> [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](#): > > mmmm…the French method uses a cover. (From the Julia Child’s Cookbook). > > Now let’s get into an argument about the meaning of ‘risotto’ and whether it is French or Italian! French!? Get outta here! (I don’t _really_ care one way or another, as long as the end product is the same. I’ve had a lot of “risotto” in my time that was nothing more than rice with additional ingredients thrown in. At any rate, covered or uncovered, it shouldn’t take an hour. I do it uncovered at 20-25 minutes.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-favourite-risotto-recipe/682337.md?page=2)