How do you make a good risotto?

[99redballoons]

I don't know what I'm doing but my risotto's always taste a bit bland and a bit bitty. Maybe I just don't like the aborio rice as I try to follow the recipe as written.

Any tips on making a good risotto with aborio rice?

Or any recipes on how to make a 'risotto style' rice dish with basmati or american short grain rice? (both of which I can cook with no effort!)

Tre this recipe here that I got from cod. It is really tasty and the cream means that it is a lot more moist than other risottos I've made.
I wouldn't make risooto with basmati or long grain as they wouldn't go as soft.

Patience! Just keep on laddling the stock in and stirring till it is the right consistency. I always use Jamie's recipe and works well. I find it very theraputic!

Thanks, I'll have a look.

My aborio rice doesn't ever seem to get 'really soft', it's always a bit bitty. Does that mean I'm cooking it wrong? I add the stock a little at a time, but it is always soaked up after 20-25mins and I take that as done. But maybe I'm not cooking it long enough.. more stock maybe? My hob is on it's lowest setting, smallest ring, so can't turn the heat down any more.

I usually start in the normal way by frying an onion in some butter, putting in the rice and stirring it for a bit and then adding the stock. Once its nearly ready, I add a bit of lemon juice and some lemon zest, some grated Gruyere and some cream - fattening but delicious!

an old thread for you...

risotto

With arborio, your risotto will end up with that creamy texture, but without needing to add cream. There are other types of rice that will do this but not basmati or long grain...

Risotto is one of those things that is easy if you know how! Firstly it takes about 20 minutes of continually stirring, it should be a porridgey texture, it only tastes as good as the ingredients and lastly lots of butter and parmesan added at the end makes a big difference.

If you are not up for the stirring ect you can also make a really nice pilaf-style dish by bunging basmati in a casserole with lots of vegetables and curryspices and pouring in stock and baking the whole thing in the oven for 40-60 minutes.

Jambalya is another dish made with longgrain rice, tomatoes, chillies, prawns, chicken and spicy sausages that is really tasty and easy.

Google for recipes as I don't have any particular ones, sorry.

Thanks! Lots of great suggestions. Will def try butter and parm. at the end. Will brave another attempt I think!

when i make risotto i gently fry onion and garlic in olive oil and then add the rice to that for a few minutes then i add a good slug of white wine and let it siimer before i start adding stock. sometimes this takes longer than others! when the rise is cooked i put in knobs of butter grated parmesan, stir it in and put the lid on (heat off) for a few minutes. lots of freshly ground black pepper helps.