Gorgonzola Risotto
Risotto is the exact opposite of the Paella I prepared last week. This time it's mandatory to toast the rice until translucent, use short-grain rice, stir constantly so it becomes creamy while keeping the rice grains "al dente". Italians, to achieve an even creamier texture, add lots of butter at the end... A lot of conditions for a perfect risotto, but I guarantee it's not as hard as it seems!
For this risotto to be to your taste, you need to like gorgonzola and parmesan, their flavor is strong at the end. If you don't like these cheeses, you can skip them and you'll have the basic risotto recipe to which you can add whatever you like (e.g., grilled or sautéed mushrooms, sautéed peas or asparagus, ham cubes)
Ingredients
200g risotto rice (Arborio)
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
650ml chicken broth (from cube)
100ml dry wine (must be dry!)
1 packet saffron
50g gorgonzola
25g grated parmesan
25g butter
salt, pepper
4 tablespoons oil
Servings: 2-3
How to prepare gorgonzola risotto
- In a non-stick pan/pot, sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic over medium heat together with the bay leaves and thyme.
- Keep the chicken broth handy on the stove, over medium heat, so it's always hot!
- When the onion is soft, add the rice and toast for 2 minutes until it becomes translucent. Turn the heat to high and add the wine which will evaporate quickly. Add a little salt and pepper.
- Turn the heat to medium-low (so the rice doesn't become mushy), just enough for the food to simmer. Then start adding the broth, only one ladle at a time. Add the next ladle only when the previous one has been completely absorbed by the rice. Stir the rice constantly, this is essential for it to become creamy! When adding the last ladle of broth, also pour in the saffron dissolved in a little water. The operation will take about 15-20 minutes, until you finish all the broth. At the end, the rice will be cooked and creamy.
- Turn off the heat and add the cheeses and butter to the rice, stir quickly until the butter melts, then cover and let rest for 3 minutes.
- We served it with prosciutto and parmesan shavings (I cut them with a vegetable peeler), but it can be served as a side dish with any meal.
Short-grain rice for risotto
Sautéing onion and garlic
Toasting the rice until translucent
Adding hot broth slowly, one ladle at a time
Adding cheese and butter at the end
