Risotto recipes, a great cooking classic

When we talk about risotto, we are talking about a typical Italian first course, known all over the world. Every season has its risotto, but it can be said that almost every vegetable has its risotto. but also meat and fish.

It originated in Lombardy, but then spread throughout Italy and then the world.

Rice, which is the main ingredient in risotto, has many beneficial properties for our health; it is light and digestible.

Therefore, it would be good to add a couple of portions of risotto to the weekly diet.

There are many recipes for risotto, the best known however is risotto alla milanese.

Milanese risotto

The first dish of the Lombardy tradition known all over the world. It is not an easy recipe to prepare even if it seems simple. here the great cook makes the difference.

Ingredients for risotto alla milanese

• grams 500 Carnaroli rice
• grams 50 of ox marrow
• one and a half litres of meat stock
• grams 100 of butter
• 1 small onion
• a sachet of saffron powder
• grams 100 of grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation of risotto alla milanese

In a rather large pot put the meat stock and when it boils add the saffron sachet which will give it that characteristic yellow colour.

In a large saucepan sauté the finely chopped onion with half the butter and marrow, cooking over a very low heat and very slowly.

After about ten minutes add the rice, stirring often so that it does not stick to the bottom and toast it.

Now slowly add the meat stock until the rice is cooked through.

Turn off the heat, add the butter and cheese, stir and serve the risotto very hot.

Risotto with porcini mushrooms

Ingredients for risotto with porcini mushrooms

• grams 350 carnaroli rice
• grams 400 fresh porcini mushrooms
• 1 small onion
• 1 litre of meat stock
• grams 50 of butter
• grams 100 of grated Parmesan cheese
• parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation of risotto with porcini mushrooms

Clean the porcini mushrooms thoroughly, removing the earth and woody parts. As a tip, fresh porcini mushrooms should not be washed but only cleaned.

Once cleaned, cut the mushrooms into thin slices and the stems into small pieces.

Fry the finely chopped onion in a frying pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil. When golden brown, add the rice and toast it briefly, stirring constantly.

Slowly add the meat stock or stock cube. After about ten minutes, add the mushroom stems and more stock, the risotto should remain fairly soft and velvety.

Almost when the rice is cooked, add the mushroom slices.

Remove from the heat, season with a few pieces of butter, a teaspoon of chopped parsley, a pinch of salt and finally a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Serve hot.

Artichoke risotto

Ingredients for artichoke risotto

• 350 grams carnaroli rice
• 4 artichokes
• 2 shallots
• 1 litre of vegetable stock
• half a glass of white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• grams 40 of butter
• 70 g grated Parmesan cheese
• salt, pepper and grated lemon peel

Preparing the artichoke risotto

Clean the artichokes by removing the tougher outer leaves, and cutting off the stems and tips.

Divide the artichoke hearts into small wedges.

Finely chop a shallot and in a fairly large pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil, sauté the shallot and artichoke pieces.

When the artichokes have softened, add the rice and, stirring constantly, toast it for a couple of minutes. Now add the white wine and let it evaporate.

Now start cooking the rice, gradually adding the vegetable stock. The rice must never remain dry. Do this until cooked. When the rice is cooked, add the chopped butter and chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper, grated Parmesan cheese and lastly, if you like, the grated zest of half a lemon.

Sausage risotto

Ingredients for the sausage risotto

• grams 350 rice
• 250 g sausage
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small onion
• half a glass of dry white wine
• olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
• 1 litre of meat stock

Preparation of the sausage risotto

Finely chop a small onion and brown it in a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil. When the onion is golden brown, add the sausage, cut into small pieces.

Brown the sausage on all sides, add the white wine, the rosemary sprig and the bay leaf. Allow the white wine to evaporate completely and then add the rice. Cook the rice on a low heat, adding meat stock as the rice tends to dry out. It must always remain soft.

When cooked, after removing the rosemary sprig and bay leaf, serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper.

Squid ink risotto

Ingredients for the squid ink risotto

• grams 500 of vialone nano rice
• grams 500 fresh cuttlefish
• about 1 litre of fish stock
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• half a glass of dry white wine
• olive oil and salt to taste

Preparation of the squid ink risotto

Thoroughly clean the cuttlefish, leaving the black pouch on the side. If you do not have fresh but frozen cuttlefish, buy cuttlefish ink in sachets.

Once cleaned, the cuttlefish should be cut into thin strips.

Prepare the fish stock, using fish scraps or crustacean shells, boiled in water with a little coarse salt.

In a rather large pan, sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil. As soon as the onion is golden, add the cuttlefish and chopped parsley. Fry briefly, then add the white wine and let it evaporate completely.

Now add the squid ink and simmer for about 20 minutes.

After this time, add the rice and slowly add the fish stock while cooking to prevent the rice from drying out too much. The risotto must always remain soft.

When the rice is cooked, serve very hot.

Seafood risotto

Ingredients for seafood risotto

• grams 400 of carnaroli rice
• grams 400 of clams
• grams 350 of prawn tails
• grams 800 of mussels
• grams 400 of squid
• one and a half litres of vegetable stock or fish stock
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery rib
• a glass of white wine
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• 50 g butter
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• pepper, salt, chilli pepper, olive oil, to taste

Preparing seafood risotto

If you have fresh fish and shellfish, these must be cleaned and washed.

The mussels and clams must be checked, as those with broken shells should be unused. Clams must be placed in water and salt for at least two hours to lose the sand they have inside. Squids must have their skin and insides removed, after which they are cut into thin slices or small pieces.

The shrimp tails should be stripped of their shells and legs, leaving only the flesh.

Once the fish and crustaceans have been cleaned, cook the mussels in a pot with a lid, without adding water. The shells will open in a couple of minutes. Set aside the liquid they have produced by straining through a colander.

Do the same with the clams, always leaving aside the liquid they produce.

Once they are warm, shuck the clams and mussels, leaving about ten in their shells for the final decoration.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable or fish stock.

Meanwhile, chop the onion, carrot and celery stalk, leaving the garlic cloves whole, (to be removed once the cooking is finished) and fry everything in 4 or 5 tablespoons of olive oil. When the onion is golden brown, add a little chopped chilli pepper. Now start cooking the seafood. First cook the chopped squid in the chopped vegetables. Leave to gain flavour while stirring for a couple of minutes, then add the prawns. Cook for a couple of minutes and add half of the white wine. When the wine has completely evaporated, remove the prawns and squid and put the rice into the same cooking liquid, toast it for a minute, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking.

Add the remaining white wine and let it evaporate completely. Continue cooking the rice, gradually adding the vegetable or fish stock and the liquid produced by the mussels and clams. The rice must always remain soft, never dry.

Just before the rice is cooked, a couple of minutes, add mussels, clams, squid and prawns. Stir to let the seafood flavour the rice, add some pieces of butter and a tablespoon of tomato paste. Before serving, add chopped parsley and a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper.

Four-cheese risotto

Ingredients for the four-cheese risotto

• grams 400 rice
• about 250 grams of cheese, sweet gorgonzola, fontina, parmesan and emmental
• half a shallot
• one and a half litres of meat stock or stock cube
• salt and olive oil to taste
• the grated peel of half a lemon.

Preparation of the four-cheese risotto

In a large saucepan, brown the finely chopped shallot in a few tablespoons of olive oil.

As soon as it is golden brown, add the rice and cook slowly, adding the meat stock or hot stock cube as the rice tends to dry out.

Just two minutes before the rice is cooked, add the chopped cheeses and stir to melt all the cheeses. Adjust the salt and add the grated lemon peel before serving.