Risotto Simplified

I first made Risotto when I was newly married to my first husband.  I enjoyed the process, the multiple pots on the stove, the slow, consistent cooking.  I never deviated from the recipes, and always felt a sense of accomplishment when it was time to add the cheese at the end.

Fast forward 10 years and I'm on my second husband and have two toddlers and the idea of multiple pots and all that stirring makes my head spin.  So here is what I have learned about making risotto:

You will need:

• 3/4-1 cup risotto rice
• 1 onion 
• some butter (optional)
• 2 1/2-3 1/2 cups water
• 6 chicken bullion cubes
• 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (fresh or from the container)
• Anything else you want to add...sausage, tomatoes, apples, beef, spinach etc.

Directions:

1. Chop up the onion, cook it in a pot with whatever amount of butter you want for a few minutes until it starts to get see through
2. Add the rice and stir
3. Add the wine
4. If you are adding meat, have it cooked and add it here (you can drain it or not...I usually don't)
5. Once the wine is absorbed start adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time
6. You do not need to warm/make your broth separately.  When you start adding the broth just put in all the bullion cubes with the first 1/2 cup of water.  I usually use 6 cubes for 3/4 cups of rice.
7. Keep adding the water in 1/2 - 1 cup increments until the rice is tender (I usually use 3 or so cups of water)
8. If you are adding vegetables add them before you add the last 1/2 cup of water
9. Take it off the heat, add some more butter (a tablespoon is plenty) and the cheese
10. You can eat it right away or let it sit

That's it.  Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking...cook it on medium heat...you will have dinner in about 45 minutes.   Also reheats really well the next day.   Enjoy!

Some of my favorite combinations for risotto:

• basil, tomato and spinach (1 large tomato, 1/2 cup fresh spinach, 3 sprigs basil)
• spicy sausage and apples (2 uncooked sausages and 1 apple)
• chicken and asparagus (6-10 stalks asparagus, 1/2-1 cup cooked chicken)
• saffron and apples (1 tsp saffron, 1 apple)