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Cheesy Saffron Restaurant Risotto

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Risotto with cheese and saffron prepared the restaurant way

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 TBL canola oil
  • 1/2 shallot – minced
  • 1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 4 cups chicken stock – divided
  • 1/4 cup white wine – room temp
  • 2 pinches saffron strands
  • 2 TBL parmigiana cheese – finely grated
  • 2 TBL asiago cheese – finely grated

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat 3-1/2 cups chicken stock on medium-low heat
  2. Heat the canola oil in a steel pot over medium heat and saute the shallot 1-2 minutes until soft and translucent, but do not brown
  3. Add the rice and toast it by stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until all the grains are coated with oil. Let it heat and stir intermittently and often enough to prevent burning. Continue until the rice “blooms”. You will hear occasional popping as the rice blooms and it will develop a nutty aroma. The wooden spoon will sound like fingernails on a blackboard as it scrapes across the bottom of the pan as the rice absorbs the oil. Toasting will take 3-4 minutes
  4. Add a pinch of salt and deglaze the pan bottom with the wine. Cook until the rice absorbs the wine, then add the 3-1/2 cups of chicken stock.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to lowest heat, cover and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.
  6. Uncover and stir as the stock reduces and is absorbed by the rice.
  7. When it becomes creamy, but loose after 5-10 minutes taste it, but it should still have a distinct chewy bite in the middle. Remove from the heat and spread it evenly in a baking pan. Let it cool for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until ready to finish. This can be done as far as a day in advance.
  8. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes to let it warm.
  9. Place the saffron in the remaining chicken stock and bring it to a low simmer. Stir once to make sure the saffron is fully immersed.
  10. Place a ladle of the simmering stock in a pot over low heat, then add all the pre-cooked rice. Stir to combine, adding more stock if necessary until it is rich and creamy enough to spread on a plate. If it is too tight, add more stock or water. This should take about 5 minutes.
  11. Fold in the cheeses and serve immediately

Notes

  1. Never add cold stock to risotto because it will stop the cooking process
  2. Save cheeses and flavorings until the finishing process
  3. Toasting the rice keeps the starch in and prevents the grains from “breaking” while cooking

Find it online: https://www.cooksavorcelebrate.com/cheesy-saffron-restaurant-risotto/