Description
Alton Brown’s risotto recipe delivers creamy northern Italian comfort with precise techniques and strategic stirring. Professional chefs and home cooks appreciate this sophisticated rice dish that rewards patience and careful ingredient selection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) arborio rice
- 6 cups (1.4 l) vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 cups (300 g) wild mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 1 ½ cups (225 g) asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup (160 g) finely chopped onion
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
- 3 tbsps (45 g) unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Vegetable Preparation: Sauté asparagus and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until tender and liquid evaporates, then set aside.
- Stock Management: Maintain chicken stock at a gentle simmer in a separate saucepan.
- Aromatics Foundation: Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan, sauté onions until translucent and soft.
- Rice Toasting: Introduce arborio rice, stirring continuously until grains turn slightly opaque. Deglaze with white wine and allow complete absorption.
- Liquid Infusion: Progressively add warm chicken stock, stirring consistently and allowing each addition to absorb fully. This process will take approximately 30-35 minutes.
- Final Integration: When rice reaches near-completion, reincorporate sautéed vegetables and continue stirring until risotto achieves a luxurious, creamy texture.
- Finishing Touches: Remove from heat, fold in Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Serve immediately while piping hot and velvety smooth.
Notes
- Master Rice Selection: Use only authentic arborio rice for its unique starch content that creates the signature creamy risotto texture.
- Stir Strategically: Constant stirring releases rice starches, ensuring a luxurious, velvety consistency without becoming gummy.
- Temperature Control: Maintain a gentle stock simmer and medium-low heat to prevent rice from burning or cooking unevenly.
- Timing is Crucial: Add stock gradually and allow complete absorption between additions, which typically takes 30-35 minutes for perfect al dente rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 408
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 61 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg