Risotto is a northern Italian dish in which rice is cooked in a broth (chicken, meat or vegetable), some butter and a good white wine. No matter how you cook it, the result is always a rich and wonderfully creamy consistency. This dish can contain other ingredients as well, but the base ingredients are always the same.
This rice preparation is used throughout the world and is one of the most widely eaten dishes. It is not an easy preparation and it takes time to perfect this skill. It will take thirty minutes or so to make a good risotto, and you must carefully watch it as it cooks. You slowly add in the broth one ladle at a time, however, the rice should not be covered in too much broth. You must be patient and let each ladleful carefully cook down before adding in another. It is certainly a learning process but if you do it correctly, you will be rewarded with a dish that has incredible flavor.
I wish I could say I am one of those people who are proficient at cooking risotto, but (sigh), I am not. Which is why when I saw Ina Garten’s method, I knew I had to try it immediately. It may not be the luxurious type of risotto you would have placed in front of you at a restaurant, but I thought it was pretty damn good. In fact, I thought it was fantastic. You don’t have to stand over the stove for 30 minutes, and you still end up with the same scrumptious result.
This risotto dish is one of my favorites ever. Ina never disappoints. Her recipes are always so reliable and delicious. This one epitomizes that enticing, creamy consistency you crave in a real risotto. The butter and wine give it an outstanding dimension of flavor. The peas add a sweetness and gorgeous color. The Parmesan cheese provides the silky, velvety texture. This is a satisfying, elegant dish that you can use for any family dinner or holiday. It is so easy and fast to make, you can accomplish many things instead of standing over the stove while you are waiting for it to cook. What is not to like about that?
This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten, and will serve 4-6 people who just might think you are an accomplished risotto chef. (Hey, let them think so)!
Ingredients for Easy Parmesan “Risotto”
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the rice and 4 cups of chicken stock in a dutch oven.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.
Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy.
Add the peas and stir until heated through.
Serve hot.
It’s that simple!
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