Greetings readers! I'm back on this space after a long hiatus.

I have an popular savoury recipe for you today. As most of you are aware, Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish cooked in a broth to a creamy consistency. Most types of risotto contain butter, wine, and onion and the broth can be derived from meat, fish, or vegetables. This delicious rice dish represents the epitome of Italian home cooking and comfort food.

The rice is first cooked briefly in a soffritto of onion and butter or olive oil, to coat each grain in a film of fat, called tostatura; white or red wine is added and must be absorbed by the grains. When it has evaporated, then the heat is raised to medium high, and very hot stock is gradually added in small amounts, while the concoction is stirred gently, almost constantly: stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid. At that point, the pot is taken off the heat for the mantecatura (the point when diced cold butter is vigorously stirred in), to make the texture as creamy and smooth as possible. It may be removed from the heat a few minutes earlier and left to cook with its residual heat.

Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy, but has some resistance or bite (al dente) and separate grains. The traditional texture is fairly fluid, or all'onda ("wavy, or flowing in waves"). It is served on flat dishes and should easily spread out but not have excess watery liquid around the perimeter. Risotto waits for no one. It is ready fresh off the stove and should be eaten immediately as it continues to cook in its own heat and can become too dry with the grains too soft.

Risotto is more of a technique than a dish. It has a reputation for being fussy and time-consuming and this isn’t without reason. Making risotto requires some experience and once you start the cooking process, it does require a fair bit of attention. Getting that perfect al dente texture of the rice and the right consistency can be tricky. But do all the required prep ahead of time and give it some TLC and it will give you more than your effort's worth on the dinner table. Practice makes perfect with this one!


I have been making risotto at home for a few years now and after several trials and tribulations, I've somewhat gotten the hang of it. I usually make mushroom and peas risotto or butternut squash and sage risotto but for this guest post, I have attempted something different. The recipe you see here is a roasted beetroot risotto which was inspired from a local Italian restaurant. The risotto turned out rich without being heavy, with al dente rice, a vibrant deep pink hue from the oven-roasted beets with a hint of thyme, a dollop of sour cream all adorned with shards of Parmesan and chunks of sweet roasted beets. The verdict was good enough to get it featured here!

The first time I made this dish, I crumbled goat's cheese over the risotto along with a dollop of sour cream. But I later felt that the goat's cheese was too overpowering and salty for the dish. The second time, I used only sour cream and felt it was perfect.

Keep in mind that if you are using store-bought stock, you don't need to add any salt to the risotto. The stock and Parmesan will lend all the salt you need. You may even run the risk of your risotto being salty. In such a situation the sour cream comes in very handy. So do not season without tasting first!

That's all from me for today. Till next time....