I love risotto, but I've been really intimidated by it. I've always wanted to try my own, but the chefs on tv and the elaborate instructions online made it a pretty daunting task. I finally found a recipe in my Cooks Country magazine that made it approachable and easy - so I gave it a try.
Oh My Gosh!
Why did I wait so long? Not only does this taste wonderful, it's really quite easy to put together! Using your heavy dutch oven makes prepping and baking a snap and finishing is simple as can be. There' s no stirring and slowly ladling in broth that is heating in an other pan on the stove. You just prep the rice, warm the broth, and voila. I did adjust the recipe just a bit to cut down on dishes and time, but it's still amazing! Give it a try!
- 5 C. Chicken Stock (please use some you made, it makes all the difference in this!)
- ½ C. Water
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 4 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 2 Shallots, minced fine (you can sub onion also)
- 2 Cups Arborio Rice (has to be this kind, or it doesn't work)
- 3 Garlic Cloves, grated or minced
- ½ C White Wine, the recipe said dry - but all I had was Riesling and it worked nicely
- 1¼ C. Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Tbps Fresh Parsley
- Put your oven rack in the middle and preheat to 400 degrees.
- Put the broth, water and bay leaves in a microwave safe bowl or pitcher and heat through. I use my Pampered Chef batter bowl - you want this warm by the time your rice is ready.
- In your dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat, add in shallots and salt and cook until the shallots just start to brown.
- Stir in your rice and cook until the edges of the rice get translucent - a few minutes
- Stir in the Garlic and cook for just about 1 minute, no more.
- Add in wine and cook, stirring until the wine is almost completely absorbed, this happens fast, about a minute.
- Pour your warmed broth over the top of the rice and wine mixture and cover your dutch oven with a piece of foil, pushing it down so it rests on tip of the broth - then crimp around the edges and put the cover on your dutch oven.
- Bake about 15 minutes until rice is tender.
- Discard bay leaves and stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley.
