Chef Chuck's Risotto with Rosemary and Potatoes

 

Risotto con Rosmarino e patate

A creamy risotto made with diced potatoes, white wine and earthy rosemary.  While in Italy, I visited Canossa school in the Brescia area where the culinary students served me a wonderful lunch. One of the courses was this dish which I enjoyed very much, it was  an experience I will never forget.

Risotto with Rosemary and Potatoes

1 3/4 cup arborio rice or carnaroli rice

3 tablespoons butter

1 potato, diced

1/4 of a onion, diced

1/2 cup white wine

4 cups vegetable broth, warmed

3/4 cup parmigiano cheese, grated

2 teaspoons rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

drizzle of olive oil

In a large pan heat half of the butter and saute potatoes and onions for a few minutes.  Add rice and toast for 2 minutes, slowly add broth one ladle at a time.  Always stirring, this process will take about 20 minutes.  Add the remaining butter, cheese, rosemary and parsley.  Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Chef Chuck's Strawberry Risotto

Risotto alle Fragole

A surprisingly delicious strawberry risotto, yes strawberries, and its sweet and savory. The creamy arborio rice and salty parmigiano cheese complemented the sweet juicy strawberries, this is a favorite.
The rice takes on a reddish hue, so it's quite appealing to the eye.

Strawberry Risotto

1 cup arborio rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 cup white wine
4 cups vegetable broth, warm
2 cups organic strawberries, chopped
1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
-.salt

In order to make a traditional risotto, it takes about 25 minutes to prepare, so pull up a chair and enjoy. Prepare strawberries by washing, removing stems and core and cutting into small pieces, crush with a fork, set aside. In a large frying pan heat butter and olive oil, saute onions till translucent. On medium to low heat add rice and let it toast for a minute or two, stirring occasionally. Pour in wine and let it reduce for approximately 2 minutes. Start adding warm broth one ladle at a time and stir, when it almost dissipates add another ladle. When half the broth is used, add crushed strawberries continue with adding broth till it is finished. Sprinkle on parmigiano and salt, garnish with a strawberry or two and serve.

Chef Chuck's Shrimp Risotto

Risotto ai Gamberi
A premium risotto so creamy and smooth, flavored with the sea and the earth. The succulent shrimp were cooked perfectly, nestled in the arborio rice along with our sweet garden pea's.
The homemade shrimp stock gave this rice dish a special deep rich flavor.


Shrimp Risotto
1 pound medium shrimp
1 cup arborio rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cups shrimp stock or vegetable stock
1/2 cup garden fresh pea's
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper


Shrimp Stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
5 cups water
shells from shrimp


Shrimp Stock
Peel and clean shrimp, cover and keep in refrigerator, reserve all shells. In a medium pot heat olive oil add celery, carrots and onions and saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper and bay leaves stir well. Pour in 5 cups water and the shrimp shells cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain into a bowl, discard all shells and vegetables.

Risotto
In a large frying pan heat olive oil and saute onions for a few minutes. Add rice and lightly brown for a minute or so. Slowly add a ladle or two of the broth, stir and simmer. As broth is absorbed, add another ladle, till all broth is used. This will take about 25 minutes. Last ladle of broth add shrimp and pea's, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in butter and parsley, serve immediately.

Chef Chuck's Valentines Day Risotto

San Valentino Risotto


A simple and romantic dish, made for two, risotto, is an Italian classic. This Valentine's Day Risotto is made with onions, red peppers and chili powder. Shape the rice in a heart shape and sprinkle parmigiana cheese on top. Enjoy with the one you love, Happy Valentines Day.

Valentines Day Risotto

1 cup arborio rice
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
parmigiano cheese, grated
black pepper

In a large frying pan heat butter and olive oil, saute onions and peppers till soft. Add rice and toast for 3 minutes, stirring. With the heat on low, add chili powder and black pepper, slowly add about 1/4 cup of broth at a time. Simmer and when rice gets low on broth add a little more broth. Risotto takes about 25 minutes to prepare.

Chef Chuck's Lemon Risotto

Risotto al Limone

This Spring risotto had a light lemony touch that complimented the garden fresh parsley. The texture was so creamy due to the parmigiana cheese stirred in at the end. A wonderful and comforting meal to enjoy on a lovely Spring day.

Lemon Risotto
1 cup arborio rice
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup parmigiana cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste


In a large frying pan heat butter and olive oil saute onions for a few minutes, then stir in garlic. Add rice and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring. With the heat on low, slowly add a little of the broth at a time when liquid is almost gone add a little more. This process should take about 20-25 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice, then add cheese, salt and pepper. Serve immediately, serves 4.

Chef Chuck's Sausage and Red Pepper Risotto

Salsiccia e Peperoni Risotto

Sausage and red pepper risotto, is a supreme comfort food on a chilly evening. Pull up a chair and sit for 20-25 minutes to make this meal in one pan. Risotto needs your constant attention to achieve a creamy smooth consistency. The wait is well worth it.

Sausage and Red Pepper Risotto

1 cup arborio rice

3 hot Italian sausage links

4 cups beef broth

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated

2 teaspoons dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Cut open the sausage to remove the meat, in a large frying pan heat olive oil and butter add onions and peppers for about 3 minutes. Add sausage and brown the meat. If needed add a little olive oil then add rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring. Slowly add broth a little at a time till all is absorbed, add oregano. Sprinkle the cheese over the risotto and salt and pepper to taste.

Chef Chuck's Lobster Risotto

Risotto Aragosta


Lobster risotto is creamy and full of flavors including the flavors from the sea, the succlent lobster, makes this rice dish a perfect meal. Cooking risotto slow and easy is an enjoyable way to relax and then we get to savor every fork full.


Lobster Risotto
2 lobster tails, cooked
2 cups arborio rice
3 shallots, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups lobster water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Cook lobsters in 4 cups of well salted boiling water for 3 minutes, remove and place in a bowl with ice water, set aside, save water. In a large frying pan heat olive oil and saute onions for about 3 minutes. Add rice and coat with oil, toast for 2 minutes. Slowly add about a 1/2 cup of lobster water at a time, stirring often, when liquid is absorbed add more broth. Continue adding broth till all 4 cups are used this takes about 20 minutes. Remove lobster from shell and cut in small chunks. Add lobster back in rice dish along with the butter, parsley, salt, and pepper, and cook on low for 2 or 3 more minutes. Drizzle olive oil over risotto and serve.

Chef Chuck's Risotto Milanese

Risotto alla Milanese

Risotto Milanese is a rich and creamy rice dish with lots of saffron. Making risotto is a very relaxing cooking experience, to make it properly, it will take up to half an hour. A great meal in itself or a delicious side dish.

1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup extra virgin
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
4 cups organic chicken broth
salt to taste


In a large frying pan heat olive oil and saute onions for about 3 minutes. Add rice and coat with oil, toast for 2 minutes, slowly add wine. Place saffron threads in the warm chicken broth and ladle in a little at a time and allow the rice to absorb it before adding more. This will take about 25 minutes. Add grated cheese, salt and butter.

Chef Chuck's Risotto

Risotto ai funghi

Risotto, is a rice dish from Italy. It is made from Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano these are the best to use. I use Arborio because it is available in my area. Arborio is a pearly white rice it has a short grain and is high in starch. The slow cooking method gives my rice dish a smooth and creamy texture. The rice has an al dente taste meaning it is tender on the outside and firm in the center. This is my favorite risotto recipe but there are countless ways to prepare risotto with many different ingredients you can use.

Mushroom Risotto

1 cup aborio rice

4 cups hot mushroom broth,
chicken or vegetable
6 ounces mushrooms quartered
1/2 onion diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup parmigiano cheese grated

pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil and saute' onions for 2 minutes. Then add mushrooms and cook an additional 3 minutes. Lower heat and pour in rice and cook 2 minutes to coat each grain, stirring occasionally. Slowly add about 3 ounces of hot broth and gently stir till absorbed. Then continue to add a little more broth at a time and wait until each addition of broth is absorbed before adding more. This process takes about 20 minutes, so I pull up a chair, you can not rush risotto. After all broth has been added stir in pepper, cheese and parsley. Serve as a main dish or side dish best when eaten right away!

Buon Appetito