1 classic recipe 9 ways: Risotto

Author: Liz Macri - Recipe Writer & Editor

Photographer: Ian Wallace

First published: Apr 2012

Serves: 4

Time to make: 55 mins

Hands-on time: 15 mins

Total cost: $5.44 / $1.36 per serve

(at time of publication)

Ingredients

More weights & measures

Basic recipe

2 cups salt-reduced liquid vegetable stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 ½ cups arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons

Instructions

1 Place stock and 2 cups water into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce heat to low and keep simmering until needed.

2 Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes or until wine is reduced by half.

3 Add 1/3 cup stock to rice mixture. Cook, stirring, until stock has been absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock, adding 1/3 cup at a time until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender and creamy. Remove from heat and stir through parmesan. Serve topped with extra parmesan.

Note: Nutrition information, time to make and costings apply to basic recipe only.

Serving suggestion

Serve with a large (at least 1 cup serve) salad.

Variations

Roasted pumpkin and asparagus: (Pictured) Preheat oven to 180°C. Place 500g peeled and diced pumpkin on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 20 minutes until tender. Make basic risotto and add 1 bunch trimmed, chopped asparagus with the last 1/3 cup stock. Fold pumpkin into risotto before serving. Garnish with 1/4 cup fresh mint.

Mixed mushroom and sage: Make basic risotto. Dry-fry 12 large, chopped fresh sage leaves in the saucepan at the beginning of step 2. Remove from pan. Continue step 2. Add 200g sliced Swiss brown mushrooms and 200g sliced button mushrooms before rice. Serve topped with prepared sage.

Sun-dried tomato, spinach and feta: Make basic risotto. At the end of step 3, stir in 1/2 cup drained sun-dried tomato strips and 80g baby spinach. Top risotto with 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese.

Roasted tomato, basil and pine nut: Preheat oven to 180°C. Place 250g cherry tomatoes on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Top basic risotto with tomatoes, 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts and 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil.Seafood marinara: Add 500g fresh or defrosted marinara mix to basic risotto in the last 5-7 minutes of cooking in step 3. Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges.

Smoked chicken, rocket and leek: Make basic risotto replacing onion with 1 thinly sliced leek (white part only). At the end of step 3, stir in 200g thinly sliced smoked chicken and 1 bunch shredded rocket.

Grilled eggplant, courgette and chilli: Add 1/4 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes to onion in step 2. Make basic risotto. Meanwhile, thinly slice 3 baby eggplants and 2 small courgettes. Cook on an oiled chargrill pan over a medium-high heat until charred and tender. Coarsely chop then stir though risotto before serving.

Prawn, lemon and herb: Make basic risotto and add 500g peeled prawns, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons each finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and fresh chives in the last 5-7 minutes of cooking in step 3.

Milanese: Add 1 large pinch saffron to stock in step 1. Make basic risotto. Add 1 cup frozen peas with the last 1/3 cup of stock.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 0.00cal

Kilojoules 1590kJ

Protein 10g

Total fat 6g

–Saturated fat 2g

Carbohydrates 65g

–Sugars 3g

Dietary fibre 1g

Sodium 460mg

Calcium 130mg

Iron 0.5mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.

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