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Reverse Risotto

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Makes 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio, Carnaroli, or other short-grain white rice
  • Salt
  • 1 cup white wine (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion or large shallot
  • Pinch of saffron threads or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 ounces parmesan cheese (1 cup grated), plus more for garnish
  • Several sprigs fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  1. Put 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice in a large pot with a pinch of salt, 1 cup white wine if you’re using it, and 3 cups water (or 4 cups if you’re not using wine). Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles gently but steadily, cover, and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.
  2. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat.
  3. Trim, peel, and chop the onion or shallot and get about 1 cup water handy by the stove.
  4. Turn up the heat under the skillet to medium-high and add the onion or shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking until golden and slightly jammy, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the saffron or smoked paprika and stir until fragrant, less than a minute, then turn off the heat.
  5. Check the rice the first time after it’s been cooking 10 minutes. It should be slightly firm and maybe no longer submerged. Add enough water to cover the rice by about 1/2 inch and stir, scraping up any that might be stuck to the bottom of the pot. Re-cover and continue cooking until the rice is creamy but still has a little bite, 2 to 5 minutes more.
  6. Grate 1 cup parmesan cheese. Strip the leaves from several parsley sprigs and chop 2 tablespoons parsley leaves. Get 2 tablespoons butter handy.
  7. When the rice is ready, add the seasonings from the skillet to the pot, along with the cheese and butter, and stir until melted. The risotto should be creamy but not mushy, and soupy enough to drop from the spoon like porridge. If not, add a little more water and continue to cook and stir another minute or so. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with parsley and more cheese.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast: Completely Revised and Updated

Recipe variations

Mushroom Reverse Risotto
Omit the saffron. To intensify the flavor, if you have some handy, rinse several slices dried porcini mushrooms, cut them into small pieces with kitchen scissors, and add them to the pot with the rice at the beginning of Step 1. Trim and slice 1 pound cremini mushrooms. Instead of the onion or shallot, chop 3 cloves garlic. In Step 2, use a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their water. When the pan is almost dry again, add the garlic, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring once in a while, until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes before proceeding.

Reverse Risotto with Peas
Sure, you can use frozen peas, but this is way better. Omit the saffron. Trim 12 ounces sugar snap peas and chop them into pea-sized bits. Use a large skillet to cook the onions in Step 3. When they’re ready, add the sugar snap peas and stir to coat in the oil before proceeding. Use chopped mint instead of the parsley.

Reverse Risotto with Anchovies and Chiles
Omit the saffron. Chop 4 cloves garlic and 1 or 2 fresh hot red or green chiles (like serrano or jalapeño) and cook them with the onion in Step 3. When the vegetables are soft and the onions jammy, add 4 to 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets (depending how intense you want the flavor). Continue to cook, stirring and mashing the anchovies and vegetables with a fork, until they form a loose paste. Then proceed. Garnish with the parsley or chopped fresh basil.