Risotto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Risotto is a traditional Italian dish made with a suitable variety of rice such as Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy. It originated in North Italy, specifically Eastern Piedmont, Western Lombardy, and Veneto (where the Vialone Nano comes from) where rice paddies are abundant. It is one of the pillars of Milanese cuisine.
When risotto is cooked, the rice is first cooked briefly in butter or olive oil until evenly coated and the rice starts to turn translucent, before the broth is added. There are arguments as to whether the broth should be added one ladle at a time or can be added all at once. Other dishes exist that are similar, but they should not be called "risotto" if the rice is not toasted.
Recipes include "Risotto alla Milanese," made with chicken or beef stock and saffron, which is traditionally served with osso buco (a stew made from veal bones), and "Risotto al Barolo," made with red wine, but thousands of variations exist, both with vegetables and meat, as well as risottos made with various other wines, cheeses, or even fruits. "Risotto al nero di seppia" is a specialty of the Veneto region, made with cuttlefish that have been cooked with their ink-sacs intact.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Barrett, Judith, and Wasserman, Norma (1987). Risotto. New York: Scribner. ISBN 0-02-030395-5.
- Hazan, Marcella (1992). Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-58404-X.
