Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [118]
Risotto
Risottos are made with a medium-grain rice usually labeled Arborio or Carnaroli (my favorite). Risottos can be finicky. If you have watched any Italian food preparation, you know that making risotto on the stovetop involves a lot of stirring and ladling hot broth into the pan. The slow cooker makes a delicious risotto, and you don’t have to baby it at all. However, as with traditional risotto, you do have to cook the rice in butter or oil first, so don’t skip any of the steps.
Risotto alla Milanese
Who said one can’t improve on a classic? If I can set the risotto and forget it for 2½ hours, then I think that’s a huge improvement! Cooked with saffron and white wine and finished with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano, this risotto is delicious with any entrée!
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon saffron threads
½ cup finely chopped shallots (about 4 medium)
1½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.
melt ¼ cup of the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the saffron and shallots and cook, stirring, until the shallots are softened. Add the rice and cook, coating the rice with the butter, until the rice begins to look opaque. Add the wine and allow it to evaporate.
transfer the contents of the saucepan to the slow-cooker insert. Add the broth and stir to incorporate it. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours; check the risotto at 2 hours to make sure that the broth hasn’t evaporated. At the end of the cooking time, the risotto should be tender and creamy. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup of the cheese.
serve the risotto with the remaining cheese on the side.
serves 4–6
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risotto savvy
The risotto should be served immediately; it will thicken into an unappetizing lump if it’s left in the slow cooker. Leftover risotto can be made into a layered rice dish and baked in oven.
Butternut Squash Risotto
My agent, Susan Ginsburg, and I had a butternut squash risotto at Gramercy Tavern in New York City that I am still dreaming about. This one is a close second, although the chef there would probably scream that it wasn’t true risotto! The squash actually cooks with the risotto and becomes creamy along with the rice.
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped shallots (about 4 medium)
2 cups diced peeled and seeded butternut squash
1½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth
4¼ cups chicken broth
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.
heat ¼ cup of the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and squash and sauté until the shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, tossing to coat with the butter, until the rice is opaque. Add the wine and cook until the wine evaporates.
transfer the mixture to the slow-cooker insert and stir in the broth. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours; check the risotto at 2 hours to make sure the broth hasn’t evaporated. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup of the cheese.
serve the risotto immediately with the remaining cheese on the side.
serves 4–6
Risotto with Gorgonzola
Sweet, salty, and creamy, Gorgonzola pairs well with the creamy rice in this dish. I love to serve this with grilled steak and an arugula salad.
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped shallots (about 4 medium)
1½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
coat the