side dishes
and cook as directed. Add 3 cups ½-inch-
diced butternut squash and cook, stirring,
for 5 minutes. Continue with the basic risotto.
Add 1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage along with the
butter and cheese.Porcini Mushroom and Gorgonzola
Gently simmer ½ oz. dried porcini mush-
rooms in ½ cup heavy cream until softened,
about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms
from the cream, coarsely chop, and return to
the cream. Cover and keep warm while you
make the basic risotto. At the end, instead of
broth and butter, add the mushroom cream,
4 oz. room-temperature Gorgonzola, and
just ½ oz. finely grated cheese.Shrimp, Cherry Tomatoes, and Saffron
on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, roast
3 cups cherry tomatoes tossed with 1 Tbs.
olive oil at 450°F until soft and brown in
spots, 15 to 20 minutes. in a large skillet, cook
1 lb. shelled and deveined large (31 to 35 per
lb.) shrimp in 1 Tbs. olive oil over medium-
high heat until just opaque, about 2 minutes.
instead of chicken broth, make the basic
risotto with fish stock or bottled clam juice
heated with a large pinch of saffron. Add the
shrimp and tomatoes along with the butter
and cheese.Roasted Fennel and Lemon
Remove the fronds from 1 lb. fennel, chop,
and set aside. Trim and cut the fennel bulb
into ½-inch pieces. on a large heavy-dutyrisotto
To avoid overcooking your risotto,
taste it frequently, beginning about
15 minutes after you add the first ladle-
ful of broth. Yields 5 cups; serves 6 as a
first course2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
14 1/2 oz. (2 cups) arborio, vialone nano,
or carnaroli rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon
Blanc or Pinot Grigio
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into
4 pieces
2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or
Grana Padano (2 cups using a rasp grater)
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepperin a wide, heavy-duty 5- to 6-quart pot, heat
the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the
onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until
soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, bring
the broth and 3 cups of water to a bare
simmer over medium-low heat.
Add the rice to the onion and stir with a
wooden spatula until the grains are coated
with oil, slightly translucent around the edges,
and opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the wine, raise the heat to medium,
and stir until almost evaporated, about
1 minute.
Using a large ladle, add about 3/4 cup of the
broth. Stir, mixing any rice sticking to the pot’s
sides back into the mixture, until most of the
broth is absorbed, the rice no longer seems
loose when you shake the pot, and a wide trail
forms when you run the spatula across the
bottom of the pot.
Continue to add broth in 3/4-cup incre-
ments, stirring constantly and scraping
around the edge of the pot, until the rice is al
dente (still a bit firm to the bite but without
a hard or crunchy center) and most of the
broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. (You may
or may not use all of the broth; if you run out,
use hot water.)
immediately turn off the heat. Add another
3/4 cup broth and the butter, the cheese, and
salt and pepper to taste, and stir quickly.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let sit for
5 minutes. Stir again and serve.VaRiaTiOnSButternut Squash, Pancetta, and Sage
Add 4 oz. chopped pancetta with the onionsbaking sheet, toss with 2 Tbs. olive oil and
roast at 375°F, stirring once, until tender and
golden, about 30 minutes. Make the basic
risotto. Add the roasted fennel, fennel fronds,
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, and 1 Tbs.
lemon juice along with the butter and cheese.add broth in
increments
Add more broth when your spatula
leaves a trail through the rice. Adding
broth in small amounts keeps the grains
close together to create friction while
stirring, which releases the starch that
makes risotto creamy.72 ReAl iTAliAn 2017