Just made a risotto for the first time and its really bland...what can I add to make it tastier

[ladytophamhatt]

Chicken, mushroom, onions already in.

Garlic, and leek?

Oh and a dash of white wine or martini

Herbs?
I like thyme & rosemary or oregano with chicken.

Do you have any fresh basil, you can add it at the end. White wine. Parmesan. You could fry some garlic in a little olive oil in a separate pan and add it in. Some fried pancetta would perk it up a lot too (I always have some ready chopped pancetta in the fridge for perking things up).

Plenty of seasoning, lemon juice, parmesan

Fried garlic and pancetta, then parmesan.

What stock did you use?

Have you put the parmesan in yet? It is really strong flavoured cheese and it usually lifts the taste substantially at the end. Plenty of salt and pepper too is important.

lemon juice, plenty of herbs

what about pepper, there are lovely in a rissoto

I'm hungry now!

i use marmite, and
soy sauce AND turmeric

Aha, didn't realise parmasan was a MUST HAVE part of it. The smell always turns my stomach....

I forgotten the bacon I bought fo rit so have added that, some garlic and herbs and amazingly the fussiest child in the world (AKA ds2) likes it.

The reall test will be when he has a bowl of it in front of him, not just a spoon full out of the pan.

will report back later...

Could use cheddar instead of parmesan?

use proper parmesan - i.e. a block and grate it yourself. Don't use that ready grated stuff in a tub - it does smell like sick...

I usually do onion, mushrooms, stock, black pepper and lots of parmesan

sun dried tomatoes
leek
onion
loads herbs
parmesean as tommy describes

parmesan cheese

she hates parmesan!

how about just sprinkling some lea & perrins worcs sauce on it?

salt. That always does the trick!

shedloads of parmesan

plus balsamic drizzled over

[ponce]

edam

white wine in at the start

lots and lots of parmesan at the end

good stock

and a dash of cream

You first of all need to cook the chopped onion in a mixture of good olive oil and butter for a long time at a medium-low heat. Then add garlic and, if you can find it, some bone marrow or alternatively some good fatty pancetta.

Don't use white wine, which gives the rice a very nasty taste. Use your own freshly made chicken stock and add a piece of fresh butter and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese at the end. And some black pepper.

NO no no

Not pancetta in a mushroom and chicken risotto

No that's hideous.

And you must put the white wine in at the start - is compulsory for a good risotto

parmesan NOT NOT

parmesan NOT NOT

Fry a couple of leeks/onions with some pancetta / bacon in a good knob of butter. Add rice.. splash of w wine, then keep adding your stock chicken or Kallo organic stock powder is good, salt, pepper, towards end add
mushrooms or spring veg (b.beans, peas,asparagus) or butternut squash roasted in oven..when cooked to taste add more butter and lots of freshly grated parmesan.
Delicious!