Typically we don’t do much cooking during the summer months. We’ll make meat on the grill and have salads to avoid heating up the house. But when fall and winter roll around, we’re ready to cook again. Well, I’m ready to cook. Ben’s ready to bake. Nothing fancy, just simple dishes that are tasty and healthy. I’m a carb lover and risotto is so tasty to me. So here’s my twist on a classic risotto.
We shop at Costco and love the Organic Harvest Medley rice blend for this dish. The rest is stuff we usually have in our fridge or pantry. Except the leek. That was left over from another meal, so I used it. An onion is all you need. Oh, don’t forget to add salt and pepper to taste.
I’m not a big fan of crunchy onion, so I finely mince it and cook thoroughly.
Once the onion is cooked, I add rice, Better than Boullion (or chicken stock) to the pan. Just enough to cover.
Simmer, keeping covered, but check occasionally. Stir to prevent sticking and add more liquid when the rice looks dry.
Once the rice is soft, remove from heat. Either add cheese to taste after plating, or add enough for the whole batch.
Because this is such a large batch, I add cheese per person. Of course you can add any cheese you want. I like the zing of a little blue cheese, but don’t add too much or it gets overwhelming. Any left overs go in a storage container that I heat up and eat for lunch. I always make a large batch of rice to enjoy later on because it takes a while to cook.
What’s your favorite fall or winter food? Soup? Meat and potatoes?
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Isn’t risotto supposed to be stirred more or less constantly so that it becomes creamy? Otherwise it’s just…rice.
Hi J,
I don’t know exactly the specifications of risotto are. But I do stir it often and add liquid as it gets dry, which is similar to making risotto.
Thanks!
Amanda
risotto is actually pasta shaped like rice and cooked very slowly, constantly stirred.
No it’s not. Risotto is made with Arborio rice.
I love fall food (I actually have a whole Pin board on pinterest for it :)) I have a spice sweet potato soup that is so simple: saute sweet potatoes, onion and garlic in EVOO, after a few minutes add chicken or vegetable stock to cover, and a chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more for more smokey spice)-when the potatoes are tender, blend it up with your immersion blender, add a little lemon juice and serve with a dollop of greek yogurt (or sour cream) and salad (or beer bread depending on your mood :))
@Kim, Traditional Risotto is actually made with arborio rice…I think what you’re thinking of is orzo, which is pasta shaped like rice. And, traditionally, it is stirred constantly adding a little at a time, but I make it in my crockpot also, and it end up with the same creamy consistency, yum!
you are right, orzo…I look like a moron…
No you don’t! I thought they were the same thing until I started making risotto.
Hey Sara!
Intersting, sweet potato soup! Sounds tasty and I love soup on a cool day! And crockpot risotto? I might have to steal that idea, too!
Thanks!
Amanda
It was in a great slow cooker cook book, it has artichokes and Parmesan cheese, yum! You do the first steps of traditional risotto through adding and cooking down the wine, then transfer to a slow cooker and add all the stock at once, give it a stir occasionally, then at the end add the artichoke hearts and parm-so good! I’m doing a post on soups (soup round up :)) as I just hosted a soup swap. I’ll send you the link so you have all the recipes.
Hi Sara!
So that’s how you do it! I’ll have to give it a try some time. Any idea on how long it’s in the slow cooker? Oh yes! Please (please, please) send me the link! 🙂
Thanks!
Amanda
That’s not risotto – sorry. Risotto is made slowly with small amount of heated liquid added a cup at a time while bringing the starch out of the rice. You made rice.
Hi Sid,
No worries, I’m certainly not Gordon Ramsay, but this rice sure is tasty, at least to me. 🙂
Thanks!
Amanda