HG has never had great Risotto in a restaurant. Okay, there’s an exception: Harry’s Bar in Venice. No place else. To make wondrous Risotto it is necessary to have a strong arm and lots of time. It is so labor intensive that restaurateurs have thought up many time saving techniques for making Risotto in a time-starved kitchen — the result is an inferior product. It should be removed from menus. But, apparently inferior Risotto has its fans. Must be the same folks who order their steaks “well done.” Though Spring hasn’t officially arrived, the sun is shining and the first happy yellow daffodils have poked their merry heads out of the earth. Indeed, HG/BSK live in The Land of Enchantment. Since nothing (except daffodils) heralds Spring like the first asparagus of the season, HG/BSK decided to have Asparagus Risotto for dinner. BSK did a masterful stir fry of the asparagus, crisp but cooked. HG had the more laborious job, making perfect Risotto. Here’s how HG did it. (HG modestly admits that HG Risotto is state of the art). HG started with excellent ingredients: Carnaroli rice (Italian import); Sicilian extra virgin olive oil; Kerrygold butter; Free Range Chicken Stock (HG likes Trader Joe’s); grated Italian Parmesan. Plus a sweet onion. BSK suggested that HG used a heavy, fairly deep Creuset pan. Round, enameled but with a cast iron interior. The Perfect pan (BSK is always right). HG heated a generous pour of olive oil and a bit of butter in the pan. Added a thinly sliced, roughly chopped half onion. When sufficiently softened, added a cup of rice. Stirred until rice was well covered with the oil-butter-onion mix. (Some recipes call for the reduction in the mix of a half-cup of white wine. HG skips it. Finds it adds nothing to the Risotto). Meanwhile, chicken stock heated on an adjacent burner. HG added a small ladleful of broth to the rice mix. Stirred in a soft, swirling movement until the broth was absorbed. This technique continued for some 20-25 minutes (it can’t be rushed) using almost two cartons of broth. When the Risotto was almost done (HG seeks a creamy firm-soft texture and tastes often until this ideal is reached), the asparagus is gently mixed into the rice. Right before serving, HG hits the dish with a chunk of butter and parmesan cheese. More parmesan on the table plus smoked black pepper. Granite Coast Pinot Noir from California. Heaven.
