Conference turris::cooks

How about Risotto?  I've always made Risotto ala Milanese (Milan style).  This
requires that you have about 6 cups of rich chicken stock boiling in a pot. In
another 2 qt. pot, over medium heat, sautee one diced medium onion in olive
oil.  When it is transparent, add 2 cups of rice.  Stir to coat the rice with
oil and sautee for about 5 minutes.  Add the stock, one ladle at a time,
stirring the rice until the stock is almost absorbed before adding the next
ladlefull.  This will require about 1 hour of constant stirring.  To the last
cup of stock, add one vial of Spanish saffron threads, or one package of the
powder.  Let this steep a bit to release the flavor and color of the saffron,
then add it to the rice.  When this is almost absorbed, add one cup of freshly
grated Italian Parmesano Cheese. 

I add Italian sausage to this recipe by either sauteeing raw sausage meat 
with the onion, or by adding precooked sliced or whole sausage just before 
adding the stock.  You could also cook the sausage and pass them separately.

If everything works right, you end up with a very tender rice, in a sticky 
sauce.  The rice will just about hold to a spoon as it is served.  Also, it 
should be yellow in color, from the saffron.

This dish works great with either a chianti or a chilled soave.  When you get 
the hang of it, multiply the proportions and you can feed the multitudes for a 
mere pittance.  You will also develop the tremendous biceps needed to  
progress to making polenta.

In a pinch, you can substitute College Inn Chicken Broth, or low sodium chicken 
boullion.  In these cases, I recommend that you spice up the soup a bit byu 
adding some herbs, garlic and carrots while it comes to the boil.

						     
							- JP

  "If everything works right ..." about sums up my success rate with
  risotto. It seems to be sensitive to the kind of rice you use. When I
  use our regular favorite (Carolina) rice, the grains of rice never
  seem to cook fully. No matter how much liquid I use, nor how long it's
  cooked and stirred, the centers of the grains remain raw and crunchy,
  until the grains finally disappear completely and there's nothing left
  but a pasty mess. I've had much better luck (almost no failures) with
  arboreo rice, which is a kind of rice, not the brand name. My wife
  buys it, and I don't remeber where she gets it. I'd love to figure out
  how to make this dish with plain old rice. Any suggestions, JP?

RICE AND GROUND BEEF BAKE

    2 cups rice
    1 pound hamburger
    1 medium onion, diced
    1 28 ounce can tomatoes
    1 6 ounce can tomato paste
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    15 or 16 ounce ricotta cheese (2 cups)
    1/4 cup minced parsley
    1/4 cup water
    1 egg
    1 8 ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese
    
    
    1.  Prepare rice.
    
    2.  Meanwhile in 10 inch skillet over med-high heat, cook beef and
        onion until juices evaporate and beef is browned, stirring occasionally.
        Add tomatoes, their liquid, and next 5 ingredients; over high
        heat, heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; cover; simmer 5
        minutes. 
        
    3.  Preheat oven to 375F.  In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese,
        parsley, water and egg.  In 13" by 9" baking dish, spoon one
        third of meat sauce.  Sprinkle sauce with half of rice; top with
        half of ricotta mixture, then one third meat sauce and half of
        mozzarella.  Repeat layering with each.  Cover baking dish with
        foil, and bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
    
                                        
    Hope you enjoy this!!
    
    Celeste

>    2 cups rice

Do you mean 2 cups before or after cooking?  Two cups of uncooked rice 
becomes an awful lot of cooked rice...

The recipe in .1 is virtually identical to one that was given to me this 
summer by my Italian instructor, a native of Milan.  She was very emphatic 
that it is essential to use Italian rice, *riso*, which has a shorter, 
fatter grain than the long grain rice which is typically used here.  She
claimed she had only been able to find it in Boston's North End.  Sorry I
can't give pointers to specific sources, but I haven't actually gone 
looking for it myself.  In fact, if someone knows of a source in the 
western 'burbs (ideally near Stow or Shrewsbury or points between), I'd 
like to try it and compare the risotto with that which I've made with 
conventional rice.

Thanks,
Bob Anselmo

    Monte's Pasta Factory which is next to Monte's restaurant in Leominster
    has all types of hard to find italian ingredients.  I'm sure they
    would have the Arborio rice.
    
    Lorraine_who_could_wallpaper_with_her_Risotto
    

    Re: .6
    
    2 cups before cooking.  It will make 12 servings.  Just like lasagna!
    
    

I know the traditional Risotto calls for Arborio rice, which can be obtained 
at Monty's Grocery in Leominster, Ma., Idylwilde Farms in Acton, Ma., and in 
bulk at Concord Spice and Grain in Concord, Ma. (at least they used to, and 
at the cheapest prices, too).

However, my dad always made the recipe using Carolina brand long grain rice 
(which is where I got the recipe from).  In fact, I never knew that it was 
made differently until a few years back.  Since I always have lots of long 
grain rice on hand, I use that.  As a matter of fact, lately I've been buying 
long grain BASMATI rice, and I use that!

If your rice is not cooking all the way thru, try sauteeing it a bit longer,
over lower heat.  Don't let it brown when you sautee it. Also, cook in the
stock over lower heat. 

						     
							- JP

Another good alternative to plain old rice is brown rice.  You can use 
Indian River or if you prefer the short or medium grain variety, you 
can buy some at any natural food store.  I use Lambert's organic short 
grain rice.  Since brown rice still has the bran and germ on it, it 
holds up very well to long cooking and has a better flavor (my 
opinion) than white rice; it's also better for you.

    Re:  .5 (Celeste)
    
    I made this dish this past weekend - and it was deliiicious!
    
    The only change I made was I doubled up on the Mozzarella cheese
    and the Ricotta cheese.  (They even make Ricotta Lite)  I like alot
    of cheese.  I sent some over to my friends home and they loved it
    also.
    
    Thanks.
    Am

    Just read your note and believe that this recipe fits the bill.
    It's called Risotto al Parmigiano. Whilst on holiday in Tuscany
    I also had Risotto ai tre formaggi (literally risotto of three cheeses)
    which is made the same way but using three Italian cheeses.
    Hope you enjoy this as much as we do :
    
    1 medium onion finely chopped
    1 1/2 oz (40g) butter
    12 oz (350g) Italian Arborio Rice
    1 1/2 pts (900 ml) Chicken stock (approx.) (I have used plain water
                                               if stock is not available)
    6 fl. oz (175 ml) Vernaccia (or similar vigorious tasting Italian
                                 white wine)
    Parmesan/Pecorino cheese                                   
    
    Melt the butter in medium-sized pan. Saute the onion until pale
    brown and then add rice stirring until glistening and semi-transparent.
    Heat stock in saucepan. Turn up heat under rice and pour in wine,
    when it has almost disappeared add about 1/2 pt (300 ml) hot stock
    and when absorbed add a similar amount. Continue to add more stock
    (or wine - which I do - for a stronger flavour) a little at a time
    as it is absorbed by the rice. It should take about 20-30 minutes
    to cook. Stir frequently while adding liquid and just before serving
    stir in some butter and several tablespoons of grated pecorino or
    parmesan cheese.
                            
    DELICIOUS !!

    Here's mine.  I rate my recipes.  I rated this one ****1/2, 5*'s
    being tops, although I have been known to use 5 1/2*'s.
    
    Parmesan Wine Rice
    
    1 Tbsp. butter
    1 med. onion chopped
    1 garlic clove minced
    lc chicken broth
    3/4 c rice
    1/2 c dry white wine
    1/2 c parmesan cheese
    
    Melt butter in a heavy medium skillet. Add onions and garlic and
    cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 8 mins.  Stir
    in broth, rice and wine.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low.
     Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed about 25 minutes.  Mix
    in Parmesan.   2-4 Servings.
    
    Compliments of Bon Appetit, page 40 8/87.
    
    Flo

Risotti are usually made with arborio rice and stock.  The rice is sauteed 
briefly and then boiling stock is added in small amounts (about 1 cu) and 
simmered till the stock is absorbed, before more stock is added.  The rice 
exudes some starch and the last addition of stock produces the "sauce".  Many
risotti are served in a purable state, I prefer mine a bit thicker, and made
with long grain rice, since that's the way dad always made it.

I'll look up the recipe in my Risotto cook book and see what I come up with.

    Hello,
    
    I can make few additions to the previous recepie. Even if Risotto is
    a dish of Milan (norther Italy) and I am from Rome!!!
    
    First of all you need to make some stock (from a bouillon is OK) and
    keep it hot.
    
    Put two tablespoons of olive oil in the pan where you will cook the 
    rice and add a little onion to brown in the oil. It will be enough 
    one quarter of a medium onion.
    
    When the onion is brown add the rice and stir being carefull that the
    rice don't burn.
    
    Little by little add the stock. When you see that the rice is dry add
    one soup spoon of stock and keep on doing this untill the rice is
    cooked (about 20-25 minutes). 
    
    The original recepie for risotto calls at this time for SAFFRON, but
    you can put MUSHROOMS, SPINACH, CHICKEN LIVERS... as well.
    
    Like the other collegue said the "sauce" is made by the starch and the
    stock together. Be carefull not to make a rice soup, ad the risotto
    need to be thick.
    
    Ciao e buon appetito
    
    Marinella
    

    My family is from Rome also......but the way we make Risotto is......
    putting sauce on already made rice add cut up meat balls..simmer....
    and when it is very hot you add an egg to it.....I know some of
    our Italian friends also make rice balls with the left overs....roll
    in bread crumbs and fry in olive oil.....oh well.....I guess it
    might depend on where you come from in ITALY wether it's Rome or
    wherever.....from one Italian to another.....

    Carina,
    
    I believe that the sauce in .7 is meat sauce.
    
    There are many ways to cook rice:
    
    - making RISOTTO with the broth and the saffron
    - making RISOTTO with the meat sauce
    
    and other ways it will be too long to tell you about.
    
    Like I said before the white and creamy sauce comes from cooking
    the rice with the broth. You can notice when you cook it that,
    before the rice absorbs the broth, the broth looks like a cream
    because it mixes with the starch of the rice.
    
    Try it, you will love it.
    
    Marinella
    

                        RISOTTO
                        -------
          
          Well, I  think I'm entitled to talk about Risotto.  First I was
        born, grown and  presently  leave in Torino, NE Italy ( Later why
        this is important).   Second  I'm MALE.  And you all know ( sorry
        Ladies) that the BEST 'Cordon  Bleu'  cooks are MALE.  :-) Third:
        I like to cook and Risotto is my special.
          
          Origin.  The "Risotto"  was  invented  in Vercelli, the Italian
        capital of rice fields, midway  between  Torino  and  Milano.  It
        spread first in the NW Italy  and  then  all  over  Italy.  It is
        still little known around the world.   Not  true  ?   Well let me
        explain.
          
          Risotto family.
          ---------------
          
          Three major way of preparing Risotto do exist:
          
          a) You boil the rice, dry it, add sauce.
          b) You put all the ingredients at the same time: water, sauce
                seasoning etc... and let it cook (in pan or oven)
          c) You cook the rice IN the sauce and  add  water  a  bit  at a
                time.
          
          The version C) is the Italian Risotto. 
          This different  way  of cooking the rice derive mainly from the
        differences in the  kind  of rice which vary greatly (compare the
        Arborio { little town close to Vercelli} with a Chinese rice!)
          
          Best for type a)  is the Chinese rice (long grain).  Boil.  Dry
        in oven. Fry in pan with sauce ( Cantonese style)
          Best  for type b) is  the  Indian  rice  (  Faaaaantastic  with
        curry).
          Best for type c) is Arborio (among what's available in US).
          
          Basic principles for a Risotto.
          -------------------------------
          
          The basic steps are:
          
          SOFFRIGGERE - Fry the base of the sauce.  This creates the base
                taste of your Risotto.  Regular ingredients are olive oil
                and onion. See below for more tips.
          
          FRIGGERE - Fry  the  rice.    The  scope  is to create a crust
                around each grain of rice,  so  that  the  amount of amid
                flowing out is limited and the Risotto is crispy (at  the
                end)
          
          SALSA -  Add the sauce.  You add  here  those  ingredients  you
                couldn't  put  before  (  otherwise the rice could  not  be
                fried).     These  are  the  'water'  based  ingredients,
                such as the tomato!
          
          COTTURA - We finally cook the rice.  16 Minutes !  No more.  No
                Less ( time valid  up  to 2000' elev., regular water :-).
                It should keep BOILING all the time.  Covered with broth.
                Here you  add  the  Boiling  component ( normally Boiling
                water with soup cubes).
          
          SEASONING TIME  -  Turn  off the fire.  Add your seasonings and
                final ingredients (  cream/  pepper/  saffron/ parmigiano
                cheese..)
          
          MANTECATURA - leave it to rest for a couple of minutes.
          
          
          By varying the ingredients in the different  stages  you create
        different recipes.  The ART is to combine  them together so that
        the final result is .... huuuuummmm! 
          
          The rules are simple. 
          
          Soffritto:  the base is something greasy you can  fry  the rice
        in.  ANY grease!  If you use animal grease you  get  a  different
        taste than if you use Olive Oil !  Onion is  a regular ingredient
        in this stage.  Use plenty of it.  Chop it in  very small chunks!
        Soy  sauce  should  be added at this time.  Or you can add  green
        peppers, olives any other similar thing. Or clams. Or ... 
          
          Fry  the  rice.   All the oil MUST be absorbed.  To avoid it to
        stick to the pan use modern pan that do not stick ( simple, isn't
        it?). 
          
          Salsa.  Here  is  another  magic  moment.  Normally you can add
        tomato.  Or even  NOTHING.  Most recipes ask for the addition of
        some wine ( normally white,  but  red  burgundy matches well with
        tomato and onions).  If you want to be sophisticated look for the
        "Risotto allo champagne" later on. 
          
          Boiling component.  Simple way is to  have  boiling  water with
        soup cubes in another pot.  Add it  half  cup  at a time, turn it
        continuously.  This is the BOILING time.  MUST  boil ALL the time.
        Do not add cold water !!! 
          
          SEASONING time.  All  the  seasonings  are added to the dish at
        the final stage.  This  is  true  also for Risotto.  Normal final
        touch ask for pepper and Parmigiano  (  Parmesan Cheese).  If you
        want it creamy add a bit of  cream  ( cooking cream :-).  If your
        risotto is not too greasy (better to digest) add some butter (1-2
        teaspoons). 
          
          
          Simple recipes.
          ----------------
          All the recipes use olive oil and Meat Broth (soup cubes ok) !!
          Recipes serve two.
          
          
          Risotto allo Champagne. Easy but expensive !
          Soffritto: Onion and Rosemary ( 4" brush). Fry. Add the rice.
          Fry it well.  When almost toasted put a bottle on champagne IN the
        pan.  The heat will  have the Champagne overflow a bit at a time.
        Boil with broad (water and meat  stock).   After 1/4 of bottle is
        overflow take out the bottle. Seasoning: a Bit of parmigiano.
          
          
          Risotto al Vino bianco (white wine). Easy and affordable.
          As previous recipes.  Do not put  the bottle in the pan.  Just
        pour a 1/2 cup of wine before adding the broth.
          
          Risotto alla Milanese ( Milan style). 
          Soffritto.  Onion and Medulla.  No sauce.   Just a bit ( A BIT)
        of  white  wine,  at your taste.  After 15' of  boiling  add  the
        saffron. Parmigiano and butter, mandatory. 
          
          Classico Risotto  al  Pomodoro  ( Tomato).  Rosemary and Garlic
        (two cloves,max 4).    30  seconds.  Take out the garlic, add the
        onions ( a lot).  Fry the rice.  Add 1/4 cup of red wine (burgundy
        is ok).  Add sliced tomato.  Parmigiano, pepper and butter at the
        end.
          
          
          
          Hence:  
        Risotto agli spinacci: Spinach Risotto (My recipes,not tested :-)
        ------------------------------------------------------------------
          
          Put some Olive oil in a pan.  Must  be  a  large pan.
          Add two/three  cloves  of garlic.  Fry the spinach which should
        not be too  many  ( must  be  scattered  around the pan).
        Enough oil should remain  to  fry  the rice.  (The spinach should
        have been boiled first, of course!).
          
          Fry the  rice.  Remove the garlic.  Add a bit of BIER (1/3 of a
        can). 30 seconds. Add broth. Boil it for 16 minutes.
          Turn the fire off.
          Add a bit of virgin  olive oil.  Freshly grated Parmigiano.  Add
        some pine-seeds. 
          
          
          
          The idea taste good ! I'm going to try it ! I'll let you know.
          Comments, questions, suggestions are welcome
          
          Ciao.
          Marco

The recipe I found follows the general patterns given in the previous reply.
However, it calls for the spinach to be pureed and added at the very end
with the cheese.  The dish is called Risotto Verde (verdi?) or green rice.
It does not sound like the dish that was originally requested, though.

    This is a risotto made with oranges, I haven't seen it entered,
    it was given to me by Florinda Cecca.
    
    RISOTTO ALL'ARANCIA
    -------------------
    
    For 4 servings:
    
    2 1/2 cups of rice (for risotto, which doesn't stick when cooked)
    2 oranges (juice and grated rind)
    beef or chicken stock (about 3 cups)
    about 50g butter
    100ml of cream (for cooking not whipping)
    
    1.	Melt butter, add uncooked rice and stir, until well mixed about
       	1 min.
    
    2.	Then add orange juice and stir in, again for about 2-3 min.
    
    4.	Then add grated orange rind, stir until well mixed, then add
    	stock. Add a little at a time (that is about 1/3 of a cup at a 
    	time). Might not have to add all 3 cups, use as much as needed
    	until rice is "al dente", about 15-20 mins.
    
    5.	When "al dente" add cream and mix well, keep on stirring for about
    	2 mins. Then remove from heat and serve hot.
    
    
    

    \
    
    I am looking for Tomato Risotto. I have used Knorr's Packaged one
    
    but they don't make it anymore. Any help would be appreciated.
    
    
    
    			BR

    A really simple and cool risotto that my mother and I both make
    came from the back of a tetra-pak of vegetable stock. Let me see
    if I remember how it goes:
    
    250ml vegetable stock                          ]   
    1 tin tomatoes, chopped                        ]  per 2 people
    1 cup rice                                     ]
    2 chicken breasts, chopped to bite-size pieces ]
    herbs to taste: e.g. basil, oregano, etc.      ]
    
    Bring stock to boil in a pan. Add tomatoes, bring again to boil.
    Turn down to simmer, add rice and herbs, cook gently for 10
    minutes. Add chicken pieces, stir in, cook gently for a further
    10 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
    
    There have to be a zillion variations you can put to this theme,
    but it's a good start!
    
    Cheers,
    ~Sheridan~
    
    

    This rice dish originates from the region of Venice. It can be made as
    arice soup also, depending on how much stock you use. My kids love it
    (4 & 2) and constantly ask me to make it, despite the peas.
    
    2 tblspoons olive oil  
    1 onion coarsley chopped
    1 cup long grain rice (1/4 cup if making the soup)
    1/2 cup dry sherry or mediera
    3 cups chicken stock (5 cups if making soup)
    2 cups swaet peas
    1/4 lb smoked ham or pruscuitto diced
    1/2 cup parmesean
    
    Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Stir in the rice and stir until
    translucent, do not let brown. Add wine and cook quicklly for one
    minute. Add broth, bring to a boil, add peas and ham and simmer on
    medium heat until liquid is all absorbed (about 25 minutes). Add cheese
    stir and serve. Thats it and it's always a hit.