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Risotto with Butter and Parmesan

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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x

Time 45 to 60 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • Large pinch saffron threads, optional
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio or other short- or medium-grain white rice, rinsed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) or water
  • 6 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock or water
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Instructions

  1. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. (Leave the remaining 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature to soften.) When it’s melted and the foam has subsided, add the onion and the saffron if you’re using it and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the saffron begins to dissolve, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and every grain is coated with the butter, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the white wine, and stir until the liquid bubbles away, another minute or two.
  3. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and stir; when the liquid is just about evaporated, add another 1/2 cup. As each addition of liquid is absorbed, add another, stirring often—but not constantly—after each addition. Adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles steadily but not too rapidly.
  4. Begin tasting the rice after about 20 minutes of adding the stock; you might not have to use all of it. You want the texture to be creamy and the grains of rice tender but still with a tiny bit of crunch (it could take another 10 minutes or longer to reach this stage). When it‘s ready, stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the Parmesan. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve right away, passing additional Parmesan at the table.

—Recipe from How to Cook Everything: The Basics

Recipe variations

Seafood Risotto: Skip the cheese and use fish stock for the liquid if possible. In Step 4, when the rice is almost done, stir in 1 pound seafood—like peeled medium shrimp, sliced cleaned squid, lump crabmeat, or roughly chopped scallops or thick firm fish fillets—alone or in combination. Cook until the seafood is opaque and tender, 2 to 5 minutes, then stir in the remaining butter and serve.