Risotto--to buy acquarello rice? (Y,N)

[vitauta]

i am making risotto for the first time. i've had risotto in restaurants twice only. both times it was dreamy. i approach this new dish with more than a little trepidation, as risotto is well known for being tricky to get right. (i watch hell's kitchen so i know)how much better are my chances for a creamy to-die-for risotto if i use this special risotto rice? does anybody here have experience cooking with acquarello rice as compared to regular short grained rice making risotto? i know i could always do the virgin run with plain rice, but i want the results of this effort to be something really special....

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I've only heard of using Arborio Rice. And I think it's worth it.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Carnaroli is my first choice but Aborio is nearly as good.

 

[Andy M.]

It looks like that's a brand name for a carnaroli rice. Carnaroli is a fine risotto rice as is arborio.

 

[pacanis]

I've only heard of using Arborio Rice. And I think it's worth it.

That reminds me, after the other night's risotto I need to put some arborio on my wally world shopping list

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Vitauta, I can prepare a decent risotto, so you can surely prepare a good one!
It's a scary food for us Pavesi, too, even if Pavia province is the number one rice growing place in Italy... but it can be mastered!
My advice for the risotto is to follow it while you prepare it, do not abandon the poor thing or you risk having to call the chinese takeaway boys!

 

[vitauta]

arborio rice sure seems like the way to go. thanks. now, what in your opinion is the best kind of risotto to make? mushroom, or....what? any favorites, or a recipe to recommend?

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Risotto alla milanese (saffron risotto) is the one I prefer, here you can find a good video recipe to prepare it (you have to withstand some seconds of ads). Audio is not so good, Italian and English overlap a little, but i is not impossible to follow, and images are good enough, in my opinion. Me, I use Parmigiano Reggiano instead of the Grana Padano.

Buon appetito!

 

[Andy M.]

arborio rice sure seems like the way to go. thanks. now, what in your opinion is the best kind of risotto to make? mushroom, or....what? any favorites, or a recipe to recommend?

Ala Milanese is what I make most.

Risotto is really not a difficult/complicated dish to prepare as long as you follow a good recipe and are patient.

Start with a basic recipe and expand your repertoire from there, adding stuff you like to risottos.

 

[vitauta]

saffron, a perfect use of my saffron spice, and parmeson. a nice uncomplicated recipe for my first risotto. very good. now, for the needed patience....

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Luca mate you gave them the hardest risotto to make first.Saffron is a bugger to balance.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

saffron, a perfect use of my saffron spice, and parmeson. a nice uncomplicated recipe for my first risotto. very good. now, for the needed patience....

Luca mate you gave them the hardest risotto to make first.Saffron is a bugger to balance.

Ok lads, my first commandment is: if I can do it, anyone can do it!

And, to cheat a little, I don't use those precious pistils but the lovely small bags, so you can better assess the quantities, after you prepared some ugly yellow risotto!

A link to pistils and small bags. I just googled it now, I don't know anything about this merchant.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Luca mate I cheat like mad, the first prob with saffron is that it colors and flavors, the second is the quality, age and cost.
The Spanish saffron is very good if it is in pistil format.The prob I had was to get the deep golden color that I perceived to be correct the flavor became metallic in either risotto or paella.
The Spanish have a product they use called Colorante this allows you to get the color and then be more delicate using the pistils. This also has an impact on your wallet

 

[Luca Lazzari]

Luca mate I cheat like mad, the first prob with saffron is that it colors and flavors, the second is the quality, age and cost.
The Spanish saffron is very good if it is in pistil format.The prob I had was to get the deep golden color that I perceived to be correct the flavor became metallic in either risotto or paella.
The Spanish have a product they use called Colorante this allows you to get the color and then be more delicate using the pistils. This also has an impact on your wallet

Well done, as long as the recipe is good enough for you, me and Bobby McGee.

But, Bolas, my dear friend, I'm afraid that for an Italian, using Spanish saffron to prepare a Risotto alla Milanese it's simply inconceivable!

 

[vitauta]

Luca mate I cheat like mad, the first prob with saffron is that it colors and flavors, the second is the quality, age and cost.
The Spanish saffron is very good if it is in pistil format.The prob I had was to get the deep golden color that I perceived to be correct the flavor became metallic in either risotto or paella.
The Spanish have a product they use called Colorante this allows you to get the color and then be more delicate using the pistils. This also has an impact on your wallet

this whole saffron discussion is going way over my head i'm afraid. i believe what you are referring to as pistils are the saffron threads? the saffron i plan to be using is a plain, or maybe with turmeric, powder by mccormick. this is not going to be considered authentic by connoisseurs, but this is "saffron" with which i'm familiar, and one i like okay. the soft yellow color is likewise fine with me and one i associate with saffron spice. i still need to buy my arborio rice. this risotto dish just might happen over the labor day weekend....

 

[LPBeier]

My first risotto was pancetta and pea. I sauted the pancetta with shallots and garlic, added the arbroiro, deglased with white wine, mixed in the heated stock (chicken) and folded in some frozen (yes frozen, they end up tasting amazingly fresh) peas with the parmesan at the end.

At school I got famous for my butternut squash and cranberry but it is a little trickier!

Let us know what you make and how it goes, vitauta!

 

[LPBeier]

Oh, mushroom is very popular and easy as well. Just saute them at the beginning and continue on as normal. Some recipes saute them separate and add them with the cheese, but I like the liquid from the mushrooms mixing with the wine and stock.

 

[vitauta]

Oh, mushroom is very popular and easy as well. Just saute them at the beginning and continue on as normal. Some recipes saute them separate and add them with the cheese, but I like the liquid from the mushrooms mixing with the wine and stock.

so nice that you're taking such an interest, lp. i'm debating between the mushroom risotto and ala milanese. i feel a bit more confident dealing with mushrooms since they are already longtime friends i'm so comfortable with. the saffron dish would be extra special though....do you have a wine recommendation for me for this risotto dish, lp?

 

[LPBeier]

I just use a dry white wine for most of my cooking. Since I can't drink the stuff for health reasons and used to love a nice glass of white with dinner, I don't buy anything too fancy...too heart-breaking! And you only need a splash.

By the way, Risotto is one of my all time favourite ways to have rice so I could go on for hours!

 

[pacanis]

My first risotto was just a short while back and posted in the risotto thread. I thought it was pretty easy, but I've got nothing to compare with as I've never eaten it before. It seemed creamy to me.