Sunday evenings are often a time for big, lavish dinners. A time to celebrate the weekend and having time to cook something incredible. But this weekend I - quite frankly - couldn’t be bothered. I wasn’t even hungry. And it totally has nothing to do with the fact that I ate the ice cream cookie cup that I made up to take photos of - would I eat a dessert at half four? Of course n… Oh.

Well, whatever the reason for not being particularly hungry, I’d made the decision earlier in the day that my pork and apple pie - which had been pencilled in to be made - would have to wait for another day.

I was also feeling a little lazy and pondering how the impending doom of Sunday had come around so soon. I decided it was a night for something happy, wholesome and delicious - a night for risotto.

There was a time - and not exactly in the distant past - that I was a bit scared of making risotto. I’ve always been incapable of cooking rice, and a rice dish which requires constant stirring and could stick at any moment filled me with terror. Thankfully I’ve grown a pair since then; my desire for tasty food once again thwarting my inner coward. It’s such an easy dish to make, and definitely something full of feel-good factor.

Sure, I’m still struggling to get the quantities right, but since you never know when a medium-sized army will be stopping by I don’t really see it as a problem.

This recipe is a fantastic base method, take out the mushrooms and you can put in whatever you so feel. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the mood for pesto, salmon, saffron, sea food or even beetroot, this recipe will do you well; also don’t take out the booze if you’re making it on a school night - you burn all the alcohol off, so it’s just there for flavour.

Black and white Mushroom Risotto

Basic Risotto Recipe

This recipe is loosely based on a recipe from Jamie’s Italy but varies in several places. I used mushrooms in mine, because it’s what I fancied, but you can substitute almost anything in if you’re in the mood. This recipe serves two.

Ingredients

150g arborio rice
1 small-ish onion
1 clove of garlic
20g knob of butter
1 glass of white vermouth (e.g. regular Martini)
1 tbsp olive oil
50g parmesan
4 large cup mushrooms (optional)
1 litre of stock

Directions

First prepare all your ingredients - chop the onion finely (I often do half finely and half chunked, to give more texture), crush the garlic, thinly slice the mushrooms (or whatever you’re adding) and make the stock, if yours is coming from a cube. Also grate the parmesan, but then set it to one side.

Put a large pan on the hob - preferably quite a deep one - and heat up the olive oil on a high heat. When it’s hot, chuck in the onion and garlic, frying them off - but crucially not colouring them. It takes about 4 minutes to soften. At this stage throw in half of your butter, swirlling the pan a bit to distribute it evenly. Next you pour in your rice, mixing to ensure that it is covered with the melted butter and onion mix. Continue to fry for about 40-50 seconds and the rice will become slightly translucent, when this happens pour in your vermouth.

It will sizzle and bubble, which is exactly what you want - it means the alcohol is burning off, leaving you with a sweeter, more flavoursome dish. When it is virtually all boiled down add in about a ladleful of stock and stir. At this stage, turn the heat down so that the pot is simmering, but not boiling furiously - you don’t want the rice to cook too quickly.

Continue stirring and adding stock when it’s getting low (there always needs to be liquid - or the rice will stick - but never too much) and after about 5 minutes season the pot with salt and pepper, and add the mushrooms (if you’re using them). The rice will take between 10 and 12 minutes to cook (depending on your definition of ‘simmer’ and how much rice is in the pot). If you look like you’re going to run out of stock before the rice is cooked, use water from a recently boiled kettle.

Once the rice is cooked make sure your seasoning is right and remove from the hob. Toss in the remaining butter and the parmesan and mix them in until they melt. Serve immediately in a large bowl, with a hunk of crusty bread, if you have it.

Hey presto - instant happiness in a bowl.

Craig Craig (206 Posts)

Edinburgh-dwelling, baking and food-obsessed, twenty-something adventure enthusiast. Runs on liberal amounts of coffee, cheese, cake and gin; bribable with same.


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