All these tips and ideas are for making risotto using the Ferron Carnaroli rice or Vialone Nano rice.
- Ideally, use a heavy-based pot with a lid; this is best for even heating.
- When using the no-stir Ferron method, always measure how much rice you add to the pot. The ratio should be twice (or even slightly more) the quantity of hot stock to your rice i.e. 2 cups (or slightly more) of hot stock to 1 cup of rice.
- Start by making a 'soffrito' using finely chopped shallots, onion, leek and/or carrot and gently sauté in a little extra virgin olive oil until soft. Avoid using butter, as this will burn readily.
- Always heat (toast) the rice grains until they are hot to touch, but not brown.
- Use good quality stock, which can be diluted with water.
- Add the stock all at once to the heated rice. Once added, bring to the boil, add the salt, turn down the heat, stir gently - Ferron prefers a wooden spoon - cover the pot and simmer on a low heat for 15-18 minutes.
- Ingredients that have very short cooking time, greens like spinach and finely sliced silver beet, seafood and white-fleshed fish should be added near the end. Add these after you have taken the pot off the heat and let them cook on stored heat.
- Once the rice is cooked, let it sit for a moment then stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to release the starches for a naturally creamy result. This is called 'mantecare'.
- Avoid using cheese with seafood-based risottos.
- Add more stock (or hot water) at the end when you do the 'mantecare' if you want a wetter, creamier risotto and the heat has been a little too high to give you this.
Jacqui's favourite risotto ideas...
Here are some ideas of what to add to your basic no-stir Ferron method risotto. The flavour and ingredient combinations are endless really, however, with risotto simple is best. Here are some of our family favourites.
- Add the capers to a chicken or seafood risotto towards the end of the cooking time, or fry the capers quickly in a very hot pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil so they are crisp and crunchy, and use to garnish each serving.
- For an indulgent risotto, shred the meat of some of our cooked Sabato duck confit and stir through the risotto at the end of cooking.
- When cooking the base, add some finely sliced or diced pancetta or coppa to the shallots or onion. Fold through some small Salvagno pitted olives or Losada olives with extra virgin olive oil towards the end of your cooking time and dust each serving with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Take a generous pinch of Kiam saffron and bruise it with the back of a spoon or in a small mortar and pestle, and add it to your fish stock. Then add some peeled prawns to your risotto towards the end (so as to not over-cook them).
- For an elegant risotto, add a glass of Andreola Prosecco or Giovanni Rocca Nebbiolo d'Alba once you have toasted the rice and some Salvagno pitted olives or capers.
- Add your favourite cheese such as Taleggio or blue cheese to the basic risotto recipe at the resting stage and then fold through gently to soften and distribute evenly through before serving. Finish with a drizzle of Giusti Balsamic or Vincotto.
- Stir through any of our pastes, pestos or bruschettas before leaving the risotto to rest for a few minutes off the heat. Crisped pancetta, coppa, capers or Sabato semi-dried cherry tomatoes also make a wonderful addition and can also be added at this step.
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Sabato pasta sauces make a great addition to a risotto. Use to make up some of the stock/liquid quantity. Top with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Cut up and cook some chicken breast or thighs with the shallots or onions in extra virgin olive oil, continue cooking your risotto and add baby spinach leaves or finely sliced silver beet at the very end. You could crisp up some small Salvagno pitted olives or Losada olives in extra virgin olive oil in a very hot pan and add these at the end as well. Finish with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Soak dried porcini mushrooms in the hot stock before adding to the rice. Finish the risotto with a dollop of Sabato porcini crema or a drizzle of truffle oil.
- Left over risotto can be readily re-heated with the addition of a bit more stock - or you can add a beaten egg to it, shape it into individual patties and fry with extra virgin olive oil.
- Make arancini - stir in Sabato porcini crema and an egg to bind it, coat with breadcrumbs and fry until golden on all sides.
