Risotto is a simple dish, but takes some time waiting for the rice to produce its creamy starch. Use your Instantpot and you bypass all the stirring and pot-watching. In Italy risotto is served as appetizer, I enjoy it as a side dish. We love it served with ribs. Fancy and down-home!
Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1/2 an onion, small diced
1 1/2 cups risotto rice, Arborio variety is popular
3 oz white wine
2 tsp thyme, dried or a sprig of fresh
2-3 saffron threads
3- 4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
salt and white pepper
Instructions
See Susie's Tips and Tricks
1. Melt butter in pot of pressure cooker on low saute. Add onion. Don't caramelize, just allow to soften. You don't want colour.
2. Now add rice. Be sure and stir the rice so that is coated in the oil mixture. Let it crisp and toast just a tiny bit. You want a nutty flavour.
3. Add white wine, thyme, and saffron. Let the wine cook off. Now add 3 1/2 cups chicken stock.
4. Lock lid in place and valve. Set timer on high pressure for 6 minutes. Carefully quick release the pressure from the cooker. The rice will not be fully cooked. Adjust the saute to low and slowly add remaining chicken stock. Stir gently; you are coaxing out the starches and completely cooking the rice (I cook to just a tiny bite) to a creamy loose texture.
5. Garnish with Parmesan then salt and white pepper. If you don't have any, use black. Serve immediately.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
I use butter in this recipe you may use olive oil. Science says mixing the two does not alter the ability of butter to burn. Use one or other.
You can't use any rice to make risotto. You need a rice that sloughs off its starch. Arborio and Caronelli are popular varieties.
You can add all sorts of additions to risotto: sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp, butternut squash, use red wine, porcini mushrooms, spinach, Gruyere cheese.
Its a slightly runny, loose rice dish.
I prefer it with a slight bite to it; some like the rice to be quite soft. Taste and determine your preference.
Add the salt after the Parmesan. Why? Parmesan is a fairly salty cheese and thus you could oversalt.
If you prefer you may omit wine and use chicken stock.
Don't add cream to risotto; it's a sin in Italy. Stir the rice until the starches come out and you will have a creamy result without the cream or the calories.
If you have leftovers you can 'reconstitute' them by reheating with a bit of chicken stock. It is also delicious made into arancini. Arancini is a delicious morsel of leftover risotto wrapped cheese and deep-fried.
Some people add butter at the end; I haven't felt it necessary.
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