Risotto refers to a finished dish, yes, but also a cooking method. It’s a way to give certain strains of rice a deep creaminess, no cream in sight. To do this, you transfer hot broth from one pot to a second pot where risotto rice is cooking. You then stir the rice as it absorbs the stock. Once your first addition of stock has been absorbed, you add another, and repeat. Sounds complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple. Whether the next time you cook risotto is your first or your fifty-first, consider these tricks for a better pot. And if you’re in search of risotto recipe ideas, try our Creamy Parmesan Risotto, Lemon-Parsley Risotto, Sweet Potato Risotto Recipe, Low-Maintenance Risotto, or (the easiest) Instant Pot Risotto. Take note, too, that you can skip rinsing this rice. The purpose of washing rice is to clear little pulverized rice bits that create unwanted stickiness. With risotto, you want some of that sticky, creamy, binding quality. On the other hand, you don’t want stock to be flirting too closely with a boil. Stock that’s too hot will evaporate from the pan quickly, meaning less stock (and flavor) will be absorbed by the rice. The first is to fold in puree, especially for a vegetable risotto. For instance, an asparagus risotto gains a huge boost if finished with a puree of asparagus, olive oil, and maybe a touch of broth if needed to create the puree. Same for risottos made with squash, peas, root vegetables—stir in a puree of the matching vegetable at the end. If you take this road, you might need to cook the risotto for a minute or two longer to reach desired thickness. And with or without a puree, finish with a pat of butter or dousing of olive oil. At last, cut the heat, stir in ample aged grating cheese, spoon onto plates, and enjoy.
