Master the
basic recipes for risotto, Chinese chicken stock, and custard – and you can
make six wonderful dishes with the addition of just a handful of ingredients
and a few tweaks here and there.
Creamy Herb Risotto
It’s a
delicious, value-for-money meal and making a great one is easier than you
think. Sweet or savory, risotto works both ways!
Serves
4 to 6
Prep time
15 minutes
Cooking time
·
25 minutes
·
1.5 liters chicken
stock
·
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
·
1 small onion, chopped
finely
·
2 cups Arborio rice
·
2/3 cup white wine
·
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
cheese, plus extra to serve
·
40 grams butter,
chopped
·
Grated zest and juice
from 1 lemon
·
2 tablespoons chopped
mixed herbs (we used parsley, basil, and thyme), plus extra to serve
·
Salt and pepper, to
taste
1. Pour stock into a medium saucepan and bring to
a slow simmer over medium heat. Keep warm.2. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan
over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3 to 4 minutes or until
tender. Add rice, stirring for 1 minute to coat well in oil. Pour in
wine and stir for 1 minute, until absorbed.3. Add hot stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring until
all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Rice should be creamy
with a slight bite.4. Remove from heat. Stir through Parmesan cheese,
butter, lemon zest and juice, and herbs. Season to taste.
Cover with lid for 2 minutes, then serve with extra shaved Parmesan cheese and
herbs.
Tip
It’s best to eat risotto as soon as possible
after cooking, before it loses its texture.
Mushroom Arancini
These creamy-in-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside risotto bites are the
perfect beginning to an authentic Italian meal.
Makes 48 Prep time 15 minutes, plus cooling time Cooking
time 25 minutes
·
1.5 liters chicken
stock
·
1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil
·
1 small onion, diced
finely
·
2 cups Arborio rice
·
2/3 cup dry white wine
·
300 grams button
mushrooms, chopped finely
·
3 tablespoons butter
·
1 teaspoon finely
chopped rosemary
·
Salt and pepper, to
taste
·
150 grams mozzarella
cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
·
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
·
Oil for shallow frying
1.
Pour stock into a
medium saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Keep warm.
2.
Heat oil in a large
heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3
to 4 minutes or until tender. Add rice, stirring for 1 minute to coat
well in oil
3.
Pour in wine and stir
for 1 minute, until absorbed. Add hot stock, 1 cup at a time (adding mushrooms
with the third cup), stirring until all liquid has been absorbed; about 15 to
20 minutes. Rice should be creamy with a slight bite.
4.
Remove from heat. Stir
through butter and rosemary. Season to taste. Cover
with lid for 2 minutes. Allow to cool.
5.
Use wet hands to roll 2
tablespoonfuls of risotto into a ball. Use thumbs to
make a large indent. Fill with a cheese cube, then
mold rice around filling. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Roll in
breadcrumbs.
6.
Heat oil in a large
saucepan until a cube of bread sizzles as soon as it is added. Fry rice balls
in batches of 3 or 4, turning, for 2 to 3 minutes each until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.