On of the biggest disappointments in fine dining I've ever suffered through was a circa 1995 night at La Cirque in NYC (a location that has now closed apparently). Everyone else enjoyed their meals, (although the Palenta and Mole appetizer was quite bland) but I selected the mushroom risotto; a dish that had no taste, the consistancy of elmer's glue, and a greyish brown color that reminded me of dirt. Since then I have been on the hunt for a great basic risotto recipe that has plenty of taste, a pleasurable texture, and some sort of attractive color. It's been a rough journey.
The one I've been using recently is from Chef Giada De Laurentiis host of Everyday Italian on FoodTV . I've made it with and without white wine (I prefer it without) and my best result was using Romano instead of Parmasean cheese. It tasted richer and the cheese aroma was lovely.
I just found one at Jamie Oliver's (what ever happened to him anyway? he just dropped out of sight) website. It suggests using vermouth in place of wine. Can't wait to try that. Are there any others out there you would suggest?
The recipe you posted is the basic method for making risotto. Once you've got that down, you can experiment with using different flavors. Make sure the stock you are using is of top quality. Try using different cheeses and mushies and vegetables. I'm sure you can use vermouth instead of wine. The purpose of using the alcohol is to deglaze the pan so you have some room to try different things there. You could even just deglaze with the stock if you don't want to use any alcohol. While you should stir the risotto frequently, don't overdo it. That could turn it mushy.
Posted by: Georgette | March 17, 2005 at 11:55 PM