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For the Love of Risotto
Submitted by leslie.denis on Fri, 02/18/2011 - 08:58
I love risotto! It is comfort food with a luxurious twist. The creaminess that comes from the butter and in some risottos the parmesan. The bite of the rice and the aromatics that fill your house when cooking something for a minimum of 20 minutes while standing directly over the pot.
I came across this recipe at Bon Appetit a couple years ago and I believe it is the best risotto I have ever had, ever!
TRUFFLED RED WINE RISOTTO WITH PARMESAN BROTH
I was looking for the perfect dinner this week and remembered the risotto of a few years back! Yes..this is what I made myself when I wanted to feel like I was eating at the best restaurant in New York City and my house to smell like the best kitchen in Italy.
Start with the parmesan broth.....Boiling parmesan cheese rinds in aromatics for 2+ hours. The smell that permeates your entire house is so unbelievably yummy! And it turns a beatiful golden orange color from the hint of tomato paste.
The risotto is classic with a few twists. Typical risottos are made with white wine. This one is made with pinot noir and it gives the risotto a burgundy hue. And making it so decadent is the addition of white truffle butter, swirled in at the very end. It gives the most wonderful creamy texture to the risotto and the hint of truffle pushes the recipe over the top.
Get out the good china!! I ladle the deeply, richly flavored and colored risotto into a bowl and surround it with the parmesan broth. A few slices of French bread to soak up the broth and dinner is served! Love in a bowl!
ENJOY!
Ingredients
Parmesan broth:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small leek (white part only), chopped
- 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/2 head of garlic, halved crosswise
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 pounds Parmesan cheese rinds, broken into 2- to 3-inch squares
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh parsley sprigs
- 8 cups (about) water
Risotto:
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh Italian parsley sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups carnaroli rice or arborio rice
- 2 cups Pinot Noir
- 6 ounces white truffle butter*
- 2 tablespoons red or white verjus or 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
- Special equipment: cheesecloth
Make parmesan broth:
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, fennel, onion, and garlic. Stir until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until beginning to brown on bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Add cheese rinds, thyme, and parsley. Add enough water just to cover. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain, discarding solids in strainer. Return broth to saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before using, whisking to blend.
Make risotto:
Place first 5 ingredients in double layer of cheesecloth; gather ends. Tie tightly with kitchen string; trim excess cloth.
Bring chicken and beef broths to simmer in medium saucepan. Cover and keep warm. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add herb bundle, onion, and garlic. Cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add wine; increase heat to high. Boil until almost dry, about 6 minutes. Add warm broth mixture 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often until rice is tender but still firm to bite, about 20 minutes. Add truffle butter, verjus, parsley, and chives. Stir until butter is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide risotto among bowls. Pour 1/4 cup warm parmesan broth around risotto in each bowl and serve.