Anyone scared by the idea of cooking a risotto? Thinking of burnt rice or of an inedible moody result…? No need to be scared! It’s so easy. And it seems even easier in comparison to the preparation of artichokes. That is a bit tricky but definitely worthwhile.
Ingredients:
- 3 fresh Artichokes (it doesn`t taste at all with the potted ones)
- 350 grams Risotto rice (Scotti/Gallo)
- 1 tiny onion
- 1 liter vegetable broth
- 100 grams grated parmeggiano
- 250 ml white wine
- 50 grams butter
- Olive oil
- Salt/pepper
Flower Power – Preparation of the Artichoke
Ok, let`s start with the beautiful but very persistent flowers. For this recipe we will only use the bottom of the artichoke.
Try to break off the handle of the artichoke as close as possible to the bottom.
Cut off leaves and all green spots.
Divide it into four parts. In the middle you will find a fuzzy part (the choke) you need to remove as well.
Basically now you should only hold four tiny pieces in your hand – the heart of the artichoke. Wash it under cold.
Heat up a bit of oil and fry the artichoke for some minutes. Then cover it and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Season it with a bit of salt and pepper.
Risotto
And here is the instruction on how to prepare the appropriate risotto. I always use a small wok and a wooden spoon to prepare the risotto. And if someone told you that you need to stir the risotto constantly when it cooks…well…that`s true. And I will not mention it all the time in the instructions below.
Heat up the broth and let it simmer during the whole process.
Grate the cheese.
Cut the onion into very small pieces.
Heat up a bit of olive oil and cook onions until transparent.
Add the risotto rice and roast it for five minutes.
Deglaze with the white wine.
As soon as the wine is reduced add a bit of the broth, let it reduce and then add another bit…and so on and so on…
If the rice is almost ready (andremeans al dente) add the artichoke pieces and let everything simmer for some more minutes until the rice is finally al dente.
Turn off the stove and remove the risotto from the heat.
Place butter pieces on top of the rice and cover it. Wait until the butter is completely melted.
Add the grated cheese and mix everything very carefully.
Serve immediately.
