Following my controversial debut as a cookery writer, I have returned with what I hope was a slightly safer experiment.
In a very unscientific way, I explored 3 hypotheses in a single dish. In no particular order:
Background / context
Andrew's risotto comes in 4 main varieties: mushroom, squash, spring veg (aka sort-of primavera) or seafood (with a tomatoey, garlicky stock). This was a spring veg day.
Literature review
Attempting to check the proportions online, I found many opinions about how much rice, how much stock and how much wine are needed to serve four people. I went for:
300g arborio rice
1 1/3 litres of stock (slightly more than I needed)
100 ml dry white wine (save the rest of the bottle to drink with the meal)
Opinions also varied about which spring veg belong in risotto primavera. Sadly, we had no asparagus, but we did have some green beans and plenty of frozen peas. We also had some mushrooms, so I included those for fun.
Primavera is usually vegetarian, but we had a box in the fridge containing six rashers of bacon, of which Head Chef allowed me to use two, the rest already being reserved for use the next day. That is only half a rasher per person, but I am a lapsed meat-reducer and it was just a nice little addition.
Method
In a late entry for the #ConfinedSubstitutions challenge, I made cheat's stock using a couple of heaped teaspoons of a powdery substance that my sister brought back for me from a Greek holiday. This is supposed to be mixed with yogurt and cucumber to make tzatziki, but as it is made from garlic, dill and salt, it also doubles as a passable instant stock. I added some extra chopped garlic and some dried rosemary and thyme.
Otherwise, my approach to assembling the risotto was fairly orthodox. I am a fan of the old-fashioned method: add the stock gradually and stir, stir, stir.
I started out frying a diced onion in oil, adding the chopped bacon and sliced mushrooms first, then the rice, and then the wine. After I had started ladling in the stock, I chopped the beans in between stirs and threw them into the stock pan, so that they made it into the risotto gradually. By a minor miracle they were neither too firm nor overdone at the end. Defrosted peas went in when the risotto was nearly cooked.
About 25g of butter (which was what was left in the wrapper) went in right at the end during the resting period. We were low on parmesan, so I saved it for adding at the table, which was probably a mistake.
For a garnish, I halved some cherry tomatoes and roasted then in the top oven for a few minutes. This was mainly because I wanted to warm the plates whilst cooking the risotto, but I was very pleased with how they turned out. I'll definitely try the tomato garnish again.
Results
Tasty, though a proper stock would have been better. Nobody opted out or asked to join the control group. And someone else did the washing up.
Conclusion
Findings are consistent with all three hypotheses. Risotto is fine with moderate wine and just a little bacon. Cheers!
In a very unscientific way, I explored 3 hypotheses in a single dish. In no particular order:
- Risotto is the official food of lockdown.
- A recipe that requires wine is a solid excuse for drinking wine with your meal.
- Everything is better with bacon.
 |
| Spring veg risotto: better with bacon? |
Background / context
Andrew's risotto comes in 4 main varieties: mushroom, squash, spring veg (aka sort-of primavera) or seafood (with a tomatoey, garlicky stock). This was a spring veg day.
Literature review
Attempting to check the proportions online, I found many opinions about how much rice, how much stock and how much wine are needed to serve four people. I went for:
300g arborio rice
1 1/3 litres of stock (slightly more than I needed)
100 ml dry white wine (save the rest of the bottle to drink with the meal)
Opinions also varied about which spring veg belong in risotto primavera. Sadly, we had no asparagus, but we did have some green beans and plenty of frozen peas. We also had some mushrooms, so I included those for fun.
Primavera is usually vegetarian, but we had a box in the fridge containing six rashers of bacon, of which Head Chef allowed me to use two, the rest already being reserved for use the next day. That is only half a rasher per person, but I am a lapsed meat-reducer and it was just a nice little addition.
Method
In a late entry for the #ConfinedSubstitutions challenge, I made cheat's stock using a couple of heaped teaspoons of a powdery substance that my sister brought back for me from a Greek holiday. This is supposed to be mixed with yogurt and cucumber to make tzatziki, but as it is made from garlic, dill and salt, it also doubles as a passable instant stock. I added some extra chopped garlic and some dried rosemary and thyme.
Otherwise, my approach to assembling the risotto was fairly orthodox. I am a fan of the old-fashioned method: add the stock gradually and stir, stir, stir.
 |
| Good little stirrer |
I started out frying a diced onion in oil, adding the chopped bacon and sliced mushrooms first, then the rice, and then the wine. After I had started ladling in the stock, I chopped the beans in between stirs and threw them into the stock pan, so that they made it into the risotto gradually. By a minor miracle they were neither too firm nor overdone at the end. Defrosted peas went in when the risotto was nearly cooked.
About 25g of butter (which was what was left in the wrapper) went in right at the end during the resting period. We were low on parmesan, so I saved it for adding at the table, which was probably a mistake.
For a garnish, I halved some cherry tomatoes and roasted then in the top oven for a few minutes. This was mainly because I wanted to warm the plates whilst cooking the risotto, but I was very pleased with how they turned out. I'll definitely try the tomato garnish again.
Results
Tasty, though a proper stock would have been better. Nobody opted out or asked to join the control group. And someone else did the washing up.
 |
| Buon appetito! |
Conclusion
Findings are consistent with all three hypotheses. Risotto is fine with moderate wine and just a little bacon. Cheers!
I love the scientific approach!
ReplyDeleteHave yet to make risotto this lockdown, although Co-Chef did make one right at the beginning. Feel it's an omission.
Bravissimo! 😊
ReplyDeleteImpressed by your dedication to the stirring, after so many of us have admitted to being bad risottoers in that regard. And your hypotheses are *extremely* sound.
ReplyDeleteHypotheses definitely proved!
ReplyDeleteAll 3 hypotheses are sound!
ReplyDelete