Risotto is one of those classic Italian dishes that the internet loves to monitor in terms of how people make and represent it. Many a pasta dish has been butchered by the internet chefs and the internet loves to quickly "correct" them on their "mistakes". However, the best rebuttal for me is that most of the classic Italian pasta dishes originated from either poverty or the need to emphasize a single element. The conclusion then: use whatever you have to make the dish. But I stand on a knife's edge here, because I agree with those who make the claim that you cannot call something Cacio e pepe if you use divert from the recipe. But if you want to make pasta with cheese pepper and garlic, there is nothing wrong with that.

I think in writing a recipe and method for a Risotto dish, one opens oneself to a similar critique. Most of these classic Italian dishes are more technique-based than recipe-based. If you understand the fundamentals, a world of wonderful dishes and recipes lay open to you. In this recipe, I thus want to give you some of my own foolproof tips and tricks I picked up through the years to make an awesome risotto. In my own recipe, I will use mushrooms (I wish I grew them myself!) and homegrown wild herbs (amongst others, amaranth, lamb's quarters, and purslane). Throughout the post, I will show you where you can improve on your risotto cooking skills!

Ingredients

Risotto is not wholly plant-based if you are following such diets. However, there is only one element that is from dairy, the cheese. You can omit this step to make this wholly plant-based. You can also use homegrown mushrooms to make it almost 100% homegrown as well! What you will need for this recipe:

• 1 cup Arborio risotto rice (this is enough for 3-4 people),
• a couple of cups of water/stock,
• onion & garlic,
• white wine,
• flavoring herbs (winter savory, thyme, rosemary), and
• wild herbs (amaranth, lamb's quarters, purslane, and chard).

If you are making it plant-based, you can use vegetable stock, but a neat trick is to use soya sauce and some yeast extract (like marmite) in very low quantity to give it an umami boost.

Method

As mentioned, this dish is wholly technique. What you flavor it with, is up to you. A classic recipe is to use simply mushrooms and thyme. But I opted to add some extra ingredients. Let us proceed.

Step 1: Mise en place

Cut all of the ingredients into smaller pieces. The onion will melt into the sauce if you dice it small enough. The mushrooms will be cut into bigger pieces so that they do not cook away.

Step 2: Brown the Onion and Rice

Brown the onion a bit. The trick with risotto is keeping in mind how much water or fluid you will add. Elements like the mushroom will add water to the dish, so if you add too much water, the rice might be overcooked. As with pasta, you want to shoot for an al dente texture. After the onion is browned, add the garlic and the rice. By browning the rice for a while, you will add a subtle nutty flavor.

(I used my cast iron pot, this retains the heat nicely. Just be careful, it retains its heat long after you turned the burner off!)

Step 3: White Wine!

An important step after the rice has been browned, deglaze the cooking vessel with white wine. Cook the white wine without adding additional water or stock at first. Cook the wine until there is no more visible liquid in the pot.

(I cannot remember why and where I read it, but there are three important elements that people sometimes skip. (i) Browning the rice, (ii) deglazing and cooking off all of the wine, and (iii) the resting period after you cooked the rice. There are some more in-depth articles on this or youtube videos, but as I have it it has something to do with the cooking process and the unlocking of starches. But don't quote me on that!)

Step 4: Cook the Rice & Brown the Mushrooms

After the deglazing, add your stock or water. I tried something new. I opted for water, a drizzle of soya sauce, and a touch of marmite. This gave the final product an immense umami flavor, along with the mushrooms. Add the stock or water so that it just covers the rice. Nothing more. Slowly cook this down, add more water so it just covers the rice. Repeat this as many times as needed until the rice is cooked to your liking. This technique gives you control over how much water you add and so that you do not add too much water. You do not want overcooked risotto!

Whilst the rice is cooking, you can start with the mushrooms. Evaporate the water, brown them, and add the flavoring herbs. You can add them directly to the rice, but the excess water and loss of opportunity to brown them (extra flavor!) stands as a negative to me.

Step 5: Add the Mushrooms and Wild Herbs

If the rice is almost cooked and when the mushrooms are done, add the wild herbs and the mushrooms to the rice. (Test the rice by eating some. It should be just a little bit gritty.) You want to cook the herbs and mushrooms for about 5-7 minutes.

Step 6: Last Evaporation

If you have determined that the rice is almost al dente, cook the remaining fluid down till there is basically none left. If you are using a cast-iron pot, remember the extra heat after you turned the heat off.

Step 7: Add the Cheese and WAIT!

If you opt to add cheese (parm or pecorino) you need to wait for the dish to "settle". I think, even if you opt to use no cheese, still wait the extra 5 minutes with the lid closed. This resting period is essential and you cannot skip it! I cannot remember the reason or who told me this, but believe me it really helps the dish.

(I think the reasoning is the same as with normal rice. After you cooked it, you close the lid and let it steam for 15 minutes.)

Step 8: Dish up!

Now you can dish up. If you opt for no cheese, dish it up and add some finely chopped thyme or wild herb leaves. If you opt for cheese, add some on top and extra black pepper.

This is really an amazing dish with minimal ingredients. Do try it! And focus on the technique. Let your mind run wild with the different flavors you can use. I love a romesco smoky pepper sauce as well. Please let me know if you tried this dish, and what tips and tricks you have for cooking risotto! Happy cooking, stay safe.