Risotto's rise

Vegetarian Times, Nov, 1998 by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

A low-fat take on Italy's creamy classic.

Risotto is being welcomed at many tables this fall and with good reason: It's a one-pot dish, it has endless variations, and it doesn't take long to cook. Even better--it's a comforting dish that'll knock autumn's chill right out of you.

Made from a unique strain of Italian short-grain rice (most often Arborio), risotto is attentively prepared with warmed broth and any array of vegetables, herbs and cheese. What sets risotto apart from other rice dishes is its creamy essence, gently teased out from the rice while the grains remain firm. Risotto is not hard to make, but it does require your full attention during cooking, as the liquid is patiently added a little at a time and stirred until absorbed. For this reason, be sure to have all your ingredients chopped and measured before you start.

Classic risottos are often laden with butter and cheese, which makes them delicious but also high in fat. We've found you can cut the fat without diminishing the flavor by starting with a caramelized saute of garlic and onions, which the rice absorbs nicely. Many risotto versions also use meat stock, but substituting a combination of wine and rich-tasting vegetable broth is a flavorful alternative.

One thing to keep in mind when making a risotto is its inherent simplicity. The great risotto dishes always let a single flavor shine through, employing just one particular ingredient like a spice (the saffron-infused risotto alla Milanese), or mushrooms (risotto al porcini) or even just lemon (risotto al limone). It's the rice that makes the dish. Adding too many ingredients or flavorings will overwhelm its delicate flavor.

Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto

6 SERVINGS DAIRY-FREE

5 1/2 to 6 cups hot vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups peeled, diced butternut
  squash, 1-inch dice
1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In small saucepan, bring broth just to a simmer over medium-low heat.

While broth is heating, coat large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray, heat pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir constantly 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost completely absorbed, 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of hot broth to rice and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is almost completely absorbed. Add another 72 cup broth and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is almost completely absorbed. Stir in squash and continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, making sure that most of the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Remove pan from heat when about 1/2 cup liquid remains. Start checking doneness by biting into a grain of rice--it should be firm but tender. (Timing from first to last addition of broth is 25 to 30 minutes.) Stir in rosemary, Parmesan cheese if desired and salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Per serving: 306 cal.; 1g prot.; 0 total fat (0 sat. fat); 67g carb.; 0 chol; 838mg sod.; 2g fiber.

RELATED ARTICLE: Risotto Tips

* Don't wash the Arborio rice before cooking; the starch, freed during stirring, gives the risotto its characteristic creamy texture.

* Cook risotto in a heavy-bottomed pot, at least a 4-quart size, so it heats evenly.

* Use a wooden spoon for stirring, so the handle won't get hot.

* Once you start adding the liquid, keep the risotto at a low, even simmer. Cooking times vary, but you'll know the risotto is done when the outside is tender yet the grains of rice still have a little firmness.

* 2 cups of raw rice will serve six people as a first course or four as a main course.

Kathy Farrell-Kingsley is food editor of Vegetarian Times.