This entry was posted on Sunday, August 5th, 2007 at 11:32 am and is filed under Rice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
- 1/3 cup finely minced onions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- A heavy 6 cup saucepan or oven-safe casserole dish
- 1 cup unwashed raw white rice
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth, heated to boiling
- Salt and pepper
- A small herb bouquet: 2 parsley sprigs, 1/3 bay leaf, and 1/8 teaspoon thyme tied in washed cheesecloth
Cook the onions slowly in the butter for several minutes until soft and translucent. Add the rice and stir over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the rice grains, which first turn translucent, become a milky-white. This step cooks the floury rice coating and prevents the grains from sticking together. Then stir in the chicken stock, season lightly with salt and pepper, and add the herb bouquet. Stir briefly until the simmer is reached, then cover tightly and cook at a moderate simmer on the stove or in a preheated 350 degree oven. Regulate heat so that rice has absorbed the liquid in about 18 minutes, but do not stir the rice at all during the cooking. When done, fluff lightly with a fork, adding more salt and pepper if needed. (the risotto may be cooked in advance and set aside, uncovered; to reheat, place in a pan of simmering water, cover the rice, and fluff with a fork occasionally until rice is hot through. Do not overcook.)