Basic Risotto Recipe Jamie Oliver

TOMATO, RED WINE & CHORIZO RISOTTO

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic, finely chop the chorizo, then pick and finely chop the parsley leaves, finely chopping the stalks.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a wide, shallow pan. Add the parsley stalks, shallot, garlic and chorizo to the heated oil and cook over a medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the shallot is softened and the chorizo is beginning to crisp.
• In another pan, heat the stock with the tinned tomatoes. Add the rice to the shallot mixture and stir to coat the grains. Cook over a high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the grains have cracked and are slightly translucent at the tips, then pour in the red wine.
• Stir well and cook until almost all the wine has evaporated. Add the hot stock and tomato mixture, ladle by ladle, stirring well with each addition, and only adding more when the previous ladle is almost fully absorbed. You may not need all of the mixture, or you may need to top it up with a little water.
• The rice should be tender but with a little bite in the middle. When it's cooked, add one last ladle of liquid.
• Finely grate the Parmesan, then add to the pan with some seasoning. Stir well, take off the heat and cover. Leave for 5 minutes or so before stirring again, tasting and adjusting the seasoning, if necessary.
• Serve topped with extra grated Parmesan and the chopped parsley leaves.

BASIC RISOTTO RECIPE - JAMIE OLIVER

Steps:

• Stage 1.
• Heat the stock.
• Then in a separate pan heat the olive oil add the shallot or onion celery and a pinch of salt and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic and after another 2 minutes when the vegetables have softened add the rice.
• Turn up the heat now.
• At this crucial point you can`t leave the pan and anyway this is the best bit.
• While slowly stirring continuously you are beginning to fry the rice.
• You don`t want any colour at any point (so remember you`re in control and if the temperature seems too high turn it down a bit).
• You must keep the rice moving.
• After 2 or 3 minutes it will begin to look translucent as it absorbs all the flavours of your base (it may crackle at this point that`s fine).
• Add the vermouth or wine keeping on stirring as it hits the pan it will smelt fantastic!
• It will sizzle around the rice evapourating any harsh alcohol flavours and leaving the rice with a tasty essence.
• I must admit I`m a sucker for dry vermouth. When it cooks into the rice it seems to give it a really full but subtle flavour and leaves a wicked sweetness that works perfectly with the rice. White wine is lovely probably more delicate and fresh.
• Try both see what you think.
• Stage 2.
• Once the vermouth or wine seems to have cooked into the rice add your first ladle of hot stock and a pinch of salt (add small amounts of salt to taste white you are adding the stock).
• Turn down the heat to a highish simmer (the reason we don`t want to boil the hell out of it is because if we do the outside of the rice wilt be cooked and fluffy and the inside will be raw).
• Keep adding ladlefuls of stock stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next.
• This will take about 15 minutes.
• Taste the rice is it cooked?
• Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite.
• Check seasoning.
• Stage 3.
• Remove from the heat and add the butter and the Parmesan saving a little of the latter to go on top if you like.
• Stir gently.
• Eat it as soon as possible while it retains its moist texture.
• Serve it on its own or with a crisp green salad and a hunk of crusty bread.
• If you follow this recipe I promise you`ll be making some of the best risottos out. The real secret of a good risotto I`m afraid is that you have to stand over it and give it your loving and undivided attention for about 17 minutes but it`s worth it. The recipe is in stages; I am going to give you five of my favourite risottos all variants of this basic recipe.
• To find a dry white wine, a good rule of thumb is the greater the alcohol %, the drier the wine.