risotto night.

Recently, my friend Jen came over for dinner (bearing amazing cheese, no less) so I decided it was the perfect night for risotto.  It was nice to have an extra hand in the stirring!  Risotto is one of those Italian dishes that slow you down - there is no such thing as cooking furiously with this recipe....

basic risotto (from Giada de Laurentis).

4 cups reduced sodium broth (I use vegetable - the recipe calls for chicken)

3 tbsp butter

2/4 cup finely chopped onion (from about 1 onion)

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Added: cubed roasted butternut squash, 1/2 chopped shallot, fresh chopped rosemary and saffron

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a simmer, cover and keep hot over low heat.

In a large saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until tender but not brown (about 3 minutes). Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter.  Add wine and simmer until the wine is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup of simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.  Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes total).  Remove from heat and stir in cheese, remaining tbsp of butter and salt/pepper.  Stir in any additions as well.