My love for Risotto

Up to a few years ago I had never even eaten Risotto let alone made it. I kept seeing it being made on telly and it looked fairly easy. So I looked up a recipe  and dove in. My first try was okay, nothing special. It kind of turned hubby off but my step daughter loved it and I thought give it another shot. After all, I had never eaten it before so I really didn’t know what it was supposed to taste like.  So for 3 or 4 years now I have been perfecting it and I must say, its pretty damn good.

Here is my basic Risotto recipe.  Feel free to add any veg you want.

1 bag Risotto rice.

chopped onion

sliced Mushrooms

chopped red and yellow bell peppers

Chopped celery

use a peeler and peel carrot strips then chop up

1 container of low fat creme fresh  (or sour cream)

1 container of marscapone cheese (or ricotta)

Fresh  Parmesan cheese. Grated. I can not stress fresh not the crap that comes in the container.

1 big panfull of boiling water or stalk if you have it. On the hob on a low boil.

3 or 4 oxo cubes

Olive oil

White wine if you have it.

A couple of tablespoons of butter

In a large pot heat  up olive oil add spices. (what ever you like, thyme, oregano, basil, what ever) put it in for 30 seconds then add veg. fry up for about 10 mins. Then add rice and fry in for about 5 mins. This softens the rice a bit. This is a good place to add any additional veg you may want. Add white wine.

Now, by the ladle full, add water or broth. Add a few ladles at a time. Add your Oxo cubes. Stir and let it cook into the rice. Add more water/broth and cook into rice.  Repeat until rice is tender. (How do you know? taste it silly)  When rice is tender add butter.  Stir it in. Turn off heat. Add Creme fresh and Marscapone cheese and stir it in. Then grate the Parmesan cheese over the top and stir in. Taste. If it needs salt add a bit.

This is pretty basic and really really good. It will make a lot. Great for leftovers. My 2 year old son devours it. My step daughter is the same so its great for kids, with the bonus of them getting their 5 a day.