If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend you first read my About Risotto post, and then come back here for the mother dish technique.

The Elements

 The Star Ingredient

Risotto is a true mother dish. A single dish that can use whatever is fresh and seasonal. I can go to our local farmers’ market, which only offers products from a 50-mile radius, and select a star ingredient at the peak of its season. The star ingredient should shine as the star it is. At the same time, the dish must be a risotto displaying al dente rice in a creamy sauce with the nuances of aromatics and delicate cheeses. Sometimes there is more than a single star ingredient. Sometimes they can costar in pairs, such as butternut squash and kale. Sometimes costars can be plated with the risotto to turn it into a one dish meal, such as pan seared flounder on top of a caramelized red pepper risotto.

Short Grain Brown Rice

Risotto requires a starchy rice. The starches are coaxed out of the rice and lend to the creaminess of the final dish. Generally short grain rice has the most starch while long grain rice has the least and medium grain rice is, of course, in the middle. Hence you want to use a short grain brown rice for this risotto. You can seek out a traditional risotto variety, such as Arborio, in an unprocessed brown form, but I simply use the organic short grain brown rice from the grocery’s bulk bin.

Aromatics

Most often, the aromatics I use for risotto are simply onions and garlic. For brighter dishes, such as risotto with snap peas and fava beans, I only soften the onions without browning them. For more deep and earthy dishes, such as mushroom risotto, I allow the onions to gently brown, which adds a rich caramel nuance to the dish.

Liquids

In risotto, the rice absorbs the flavors of the liquids in which it is poached. This usually starts with a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan after sautéing the aromatics and adding the rice. The main liquid is stock. Usually, you want a relatively neutral stock such as chicken or vegetable Sometimes there can be reason to use a more assertive stock such as a shrimp stock when making a seafood risotto or duck stock when making a risotto using duck confit. Sometimes wine can take a larger role. I’ve seen recipes that call for 2 cups of red wine to be used along with a broth. I’ve also made, and enjoy as an alternative, risotto which leverages marsala, using ¾ of a cup during poaching, and another ¼ cup in the finishing.

Finishing Cheese

I finish my risotto with 3 tablespoons of butter and 2 ounces of cheese- Parmesan being the go-to standard. However switching up the cheese can add a lot of character to the final dish. Select a finishing cheese that complements the star of the dish. For example, a tangy fresh goat cheese pairs nicely with peas and mint or with fire-roasted corn. Or a funky taleggio pairs well with earthy produce such as baby turnips and greens, mushrooms or stinging nettles. And, you can likely find local cheeses to use in the risotto at market where you picked up the star of the dish.

Special Equipment

This oven assisted brown risotto method requires a small, enameled cast iron Dutch oven. I use the 3 quart size from Lodge and am jealous of those who use the 3.5 quart size from Le Creuset.

Cook-ins, Mix-ins and Toppings

One consideration that you need to make with respect to your star ingredient(s) is whether they will be cooked in or mixed in. Cooked in means they will poach in the stock along with the rice. Mixed in means they are cooked separately and mixed together at the end. Cooked in is very convenient and often the way I go. Mixed in allows you to use other cooking techniques on the star ingredients. For example, roasting root vegetables endues them with rich, complex flavors. Sautéing mushrooms allows you to brown them. A quick blanching of greens keeps their colors vibrant. If you choose to cook in, the ingredients bring their water to the poach, so lessen the stock.