Prepared by one of the UT culinary students, this dish was a hit at the recent UT Community Cooking Class Australian Wine Dinner.
The dish was paired with a 2017 Hoepler Pinot Noir.
Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish cooked with either meat, fish or vegetable broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. Many types of risotto contain butter, onion, white wine, and parmesan cheese. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy.
Arborio is used to make risotto because the high starch content creates the desired creamy consistency.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
4 cups chicken stock, heated
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 medium onion (about 1/2 cup or 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms (your choice), diced and sauted until liquid has fully absorbed out of the mushrooms
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, no oil
4 tablespoons whole butter (divided)
1 vegetable oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 tablespoon Italian parsley optional
Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 2 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped onion. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly translucent. Add the mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes.
Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. But don't let the rice turn brown.
Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.
Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process.
Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy.
Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and the Parmesan cheese, Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with little chopped parsley if desired.