Saturday night rice

Risotto recipes are chock-full of orders and ingredients, and consequently they often inspire busy people to run away and opt for pasta. The truth is preparing risotto is simple and relaxing. A dish that can be dressed up or used to dispatch leftovers, it’s worth working into the repertoire.

My recent risotto experience began with chicken salad. Being a good Southerner, I keep a tub of it around when it warms up. I kicked off a fresh batch last weekend by boiling a whole chicken with hunks of celery and onion, 5 bay leaves, salt and a few tablespoons of peppercorns until the bird was tender. But while it cooled on a cutting board, it seemed the golden broth remaining in the stock pot needed a new friend. Risotto sprang to mind. Why not? I wasn’t in a hurry, and I had on hand Arborio rice, Parmesan cheese and a three fat portobellos held back from grill duty by my lack of charcoal. About 40 minutes later, a luscious mushroom and pea risotto was on the table. Pulling it together reminded me that this dish is really a freeform rebel and not the pesky intimidator it seems.

It’s true risotto demands patience, since the rice must absorb each ladleful of liquid before another should be added. It also requires lots of stirring. Neither task is difficult, and if you can let go of your to-do list, making risotto can be a hypnotic pleasure.

Here’s how:

Sauté a chopped onion in olive oil. When it’s translucent, add a cup of Arborio rice and allow it a minute or two to open up before adding liquid. Don’t let it brown.

Start adding liquid. The total ratio of liquid to rice is roughly 5:1, and it should be added incrementally. Begin with about three-quarters of a cup of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Stir while the rice absorbs it. Then turn to the mother of all risotto liquids: chicken stock, preferably homemade and sitting on a nearby burner. Add a ladle at a time, waiting until the rice soaks it up fully.

Sautéed mushrooms are terrific mate to risotto because they release flavorful pan juices that can be tossed in with stock.

Toward the end of the cooking process, which takes about 20-30 minutes, add cooked vegetables, like the sautéed mushrooms and thawed English peas. This is also a good time to add grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately with a side of freshly grated Parmesan.

Enjoy.