Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Red Pepper Risotto for One

I cannot tell you how much I love Risotto however most recipes make enough for a family of 6. My husband is not quite a fan of the dish however so I have worked to par it down and make a portion for 1 or 2 servings depending on how much self control you have. As you can tell from the title of the recipe, I have no self control when it comes to Risotto.
People tend to be intimidated by the process of Risotto or shall I say, "the fecking Risotto!" as per chef Ramsey, however it is not hard it just requires time, patience and a watchful eye.

2T olive oil
1/4 cup onion minced
1/2 cup red bell pepper minced
1/2 cup Risotto
1/2 White wine- I use a moscato or Riesling  (or more if you crave the tart taste)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (more or less to taste)

In a sauce pan heat oil on low medium heat, add onions until translucent, add red pepper for about 8 minutes until they start to appear translucent.
Add in the dry risotto and stir, coating with oil until all of the risotto appears coated. Add in the wine and stir until the wine begins to be absorbed by the risotto however do not let the risotto get dry or even close to dry, this is a creamy dish so the key to cooking it is to keep it creamy but not dry.
Now here is the trick for a good risotto, STIRRING! Just listen to your inner Julia Childs and keep stirring while the dish is cooking.
Add in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time until it appears that the risotto has absorbed a majority of it, keeping in mind the creamy consistency of the dish. This process should take about 20-30 minutes in total when it comes to the absorption rate, you want to keep the heat at a medium to low medium where if you stop stirring the mix begins to bubble but isn't boiling.
Once you are starting to question if the dish is done, add in the parm cheese and stir to blend.
Take pan off of the heat and serve!!


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