Hello again, chefs!
When you think of “romantic foods” what are a few that come to mind?
Is risotto on that list? I hope it is because it is certainly on mine.
I first tasted risotto on a trip to Italy in 2013. After telling the driver, Mateo, on the way to the hotel from the airport that I had never been to Italy before, he excitedly told me of his family’s restaurant and said we absolutely had to eat there. In fact, he said to call him, and his father would give us a free ride!
What a memorable night for my wife Darcy and me! I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant, but it left such an incredible impression on me. It was a wonderful restaurant, small, with only about 10-15 tables, but loud with music and great conversation.
Mateo’s father brought us out several courses, and each of them were spectacular. The one that stuck out in my mind, though, was his risotto. Creamy and delicious, it was, without hyperbole, one of the greatest things I’ve ever tasted.
In 2019 my wife and I traveled to London, where we ate at a restaurant called Evoluzione. The food was awesome and prepared by Michelin-star Chef Andrea Angeletti. No offense to Chef Angeletti, but his risotto wasn’t quite as good as the risotto I ate that night in Mateo’s father’s restaurant in Milan.
Maybe it’s the risotto, but also the very rich memory. One thing I remember from that night in 2013 was that I heard the song “Wake Me Up” by Avicii while we were eating dinner. I think about that song every time I make risotto, especially this one line:
“I can’t tell where the journey will end, but I know where it starts…”
My risotto journey may never reach the level of Mateo’s father, but it started that night and the first bite always brings back wonderful memories. Now you know why I consider risotto so romantic!
Recently I made risotto, with a twist, because I made it all on my Evo grill!
You heard that right! That’s the beauty of an Evo, its versatility is what makes it second to none. The beauty of risotto is that there are so many ways to make it, using so many different ingredients.
Here’s what I brought to the patio:
- 20 oz. of Aborio rice
- 1 onion, diced (I say one full onion as a guide, how much of that onion you use is up to you)
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 48 oz. chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 bottle red wine
Editor’s note: You don’t put the whole bottle in the risotto, of course, it’s actually only one cup. The rest is to enjoy while preparing and eating the meal!
Risotto is a dish that has to be made quickly. It should take between 15-18 minutes from the time the first ingredients go in until it is ready to be served. Once I got the Evo started, I set the
temperature about halfway between medium and high.
The first two things to go on were the onions and the chicken stock. The onions are the base of the risotto and the chicken stock needs to be at a rolling boil before adding it to the rice. Shortly after, I added the Italian sausage.
I cooked the onions on the flattop itself until they became “opaque”, which is when the moisture in the onion has dissipated. Once that happened, I scooped up the onions and put them in the pan, which had the two tablespoons of olive oil warming up.
One thing I have learned as a budding chef is that you have to “listen” to your food. That tip came from Middleby brand ambassador Jaime Laurita, who learned to cook risotto while training as a chef in Italy. Listening to the food is very important in the next step.
Once I had the oil in the pan, I poured in the Aborio rice and started stirring. Let me take a second and stress the importance of using Aborio rice. I was once making risotto and tired using regular white rice, and it didn’t even come close to working. The rice is the most important ingredient in this dish, so it has to be Aborio rice all the way.
Begin stirring. Stirring is a necessary part of this dish because you want the rice to absorb the wine and chicken stock. This isn’t a soup, the texture of this dish when finished should be creamy.
This is where the “listening” part comes in. If the Aborio rice is to absorb the wine and chicken stock, it needs to lose any moisture that is in the grain. At high heat it doesn’t take long, but once the sound from inside the pan has quieted down (in other words, it’s not hissing as much), the rice is ready to go.
Pour in one cup of your chosen wine and begin stirring. Stir, stir and stir some more until most of the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
By now the chicken stock should be at a rolling boil. While I never use the entire amount of stock in the dish, it’s always good to have extra. Whatever you have left you can use to make a nice bowl of soup!
Once the wine has been absorbed and the chicken stock is boiling, begin adding the stock. I go a ladle at a time. Again, keep stirring – see the pattern here? – until the liquid has been absorbed. Once that happens, add another ladle of the stock. As you go on, everything will combine to make the dish creamy.
In between stirring, I’m paying attention to the Italian sausage. It should be well-browned by now, and can be taken off the grill.
When everything is to the consistency that I like, I add about ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese and stir that in until it is melted and absorbed, if you want to add a couple tablespoons of butter, that adds to the flavor as well.
È finito!
If the consistency is creamy enough, a plate is perfect for the risotto. Top it with the Italian sausage and parmesan cheese to taste. Then take a spoonful, close your eyes and dream of the memories you have of Italy or the ones you would love to make there someday.
Guest Blogger Mike Knapp
Evo is protected under U.S. Patents 9,897,328; 9,869,474; 10,139,113; 9,903,595; 10,842,540; 7,825,353 and U.S. Patents Pending.