This week at la Domestique is dedicated to risotto rice, any of three varieties of medium-grain rice: Arborio, carnaroli, and vialone. These Italian rices have a plump, squat shape and are high in starch, which slowly releases during cooking, yielding a silky, creamy dish called risotto. Arborio rice is widely available, more affordable than the others, and makes a heavier risotto (which may be preferred in the winter months). Risotto made from carnaroli and vialone will have a lighter, delicate texture, which some feel is more refined. In the Gourmet Today Cookbook, editor Ruth Reichl describes risotto as “simultaneously simple and luxurious.” If you’ve got the rice in your pantry and a bit of stock, you’re only thirty minutes away from putting a creamy, filling one pot dish on the table. Once you’ve learned a basic risotto recipe, you can cook intuitively based on what’s on hand. Prepare a basic risotto, then fold in flavorings at the end. It’s a great way to use leftovers for a pantry supper. Tomorrow is 10 Ways Tuesday at la Domestique, and I’ve got plenty of creative ideas to inspire your next risotto.

If you’ve never made risotto at home before, the method traditionally begins with sweating a diced onion in butter or oil, then stirring in the rice and toasting the grains for a minute. The liquid, be it wine or a flavorful homemade stock is added to the pot, a ladleful at a time. Give the rice time to absorb each ladleful, stirring the pot frequently, before adding more liquid- this allows the starches to be released and makes for a silky risotto. After about 20 minutes, the risotto will achieve the perfect texture: tender but still pleasantly chewy grains floating in a loose sauce. I think this is the point where home cooks get intimidated by risotto, because it’s a fleeting moment that can be difficult to concretely define. It reminds me of Goldilocks and the Three Bears- not too soft, not too hard, but just right. Practice is the best teacher, and it won’t take you long to recognize when you’ve taken the risotto too far into dry and gloppy territory. The beautiful thing is that a little more liquid can quickly remedy the situation.

Join me over the next few days for risotto tips plus comforting winter recipes. Risotto is an empty canvas for flavor, well-suited to cooking in the moment. Serve it as a side dish to roast chicken, meat, or fish. Fold in sausage or shellfish for a one-pot supper. Risotto makes a lovely vegetarian main course, just add sautéed greens or roasted vegetables. Don’t be intimidated by risotto, with peasant roots, it’s a simple luxury that belongs on every man’s table.

Do you cook risotto? Share your tips and thoughts in the comments section. Click Here.