Rice goes wild

Chef Enrico puts together a Risotto festival to push Italian-style rice

Chef Enricou00a0puts together a Risotto festivalu00a0to pushu00a0Italian-styleu00a0rice

Is risotto a glorified khichdi, someone asks. Is it a trick question, we wonder, to judge what we really think of Italy's favourite rice preparation and our own, in India. We jump to quick defence of both food cultures, Italian and Indian.

Admittedly, both are sticky and lumpy but there is really no comparison. What is staple Italian diet becomes fine dining fare here but that could be true of any cuisine and any dish. But the khichdi has just one purpose comfort. No matter what tricks you pull while cooking it, you're not going to pay Rs 500 for it. It's just too easy to make; it's chicken soup to our soul.

The risotto requires more committed cooking. You cannot just pressure-cook it. Chef Enrico at the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel and Convention Centre, tells us that while Arborio can be made by anyone anywhere (it is the foolproof rice), there are other variations that require a keener study.

Like the Vialone Nano rice from Veneto in Italy, which chef Enrico cooks with Barolo wine and Castelmagno cheese. By the time you realise it's cooked, it's too lateu00a0 you've overcooked it already. Yet, the Indian palate tends to not favour risotto. Perhaps the khichdi parallel comes foremost to most minds. So to push risottos, Enrico has put together a risotto promotion at Renaissance.

Clean, chop and sweat half the onions in a pot with the olive oil until tender.
Add the rice, stir continuouslyu2013be careful, don't burn the rice!
Add the wine and let it evaporate.
Add the vegetable stock slowly, until the rice is covered and continue to keep the rice topped up with stock and cook for approx. 16 minutes on a low/medium fire.
In a small saucepan, boil a red beetroot till it's cooked. Then peel the skin off, chop it finely and add it to the rice.u00a0
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, add the rest of olive oil, onion, and garlic, cook until golden colour, and then add the diced Italian sausages.
When the sausages are cooked, add to the rice. When the rice is al dente, take the pan from the heat, add butter, cheese, and check for seasoning. Serve hot.

Risotto Alla Milanese

40 gm onions
100 gm rice
0.5 gm saffron
10 gm butter
50 gm Padano parmesan
50 ml white wine
400 ml vegetable stock

Clean, chop and sweat half the onions in a pot with the olive oil until tender.
Add the rice, stir continuouslyu2013be careful, don't burn the rice!
Add the wine and let it evaporate.
Add the vegetable stock slowly, until the rice is covered and continue to keep the rice topped up with stock and cook for approx. 16 minutes on a low/medium fire.
Add the saffron.
When the rice is al dente, take the pan from the heat, add butter, the cheese, and check for seasoning.
Serve hot.
For a non-vegetable option, you can use the marrow of veal when frying the onions.

Risotto ai Frutti di Mare

40 gm onions
100 gm rice
50 gm fresh squid
30 gm butter
50 ml white wine
400 ml vegetable stock
10 gm garlic
20 gm salmon
40 gm King prawns
20 ml brandy
30 gm fresh tomato
20 gm chopped parsley

Clean, chop and sweat half the onions in a pot with the olive oil until tender.
Add the rice, stir continuouslyu2013be careful, don't burn the rice!
Add the wine and let it evaporate.
Add the vegetable stock slowly, until the rice is covered and continue to keep the rice topped up with stock and cook for approx. 16 minutes on a low/medium fire.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, add the rest of olive oil, onion, and garlic, cook until they turn golden, and then add the seafood (already chopped) and cook with the brandy.
When the seafood is cooked, add it to the rice. When the rice is al dente, take the pan from the heat, add butter and parsley and check for seasoning.
Serve hot.

Risotto Ai Piselli

40 gm onions
100 gm rice
50 gm peas
30 gm butter
50 gm Padano parmesan
50 ml white wine
400 ml vegetable stock
5 gm garlic

Clean, chop and sweat half the onions in a pot with the olive oil until tender.
Add the rice, stir continuouslyu2013be careful, don't burn the rice!
Add the wine and let it evaporate.
Add the vegetable stock slowly, until the rice is covered and continue to keep the rice topped up with stock and cook for approx. 16 minutes on a low/medium fire.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, add the rest of olive oil, onion, and garlic, cook until it turns golden, and then add the fresh peas.
When the peas are cooked, add them to the rice. When the rice is al dente, take the pan from the heat, add butter, cheese, and check for seasoning.

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