Risotto
Submitted by: Christian

Ingredients:

1 Vegetable (almost anything.. kabocha, sweet potatoes, spinach, mushrooms, basil, seafood, sun-dried tomatoes, etc..)
2 cups Japanese rice (arborio rice if you can get this, but Japanese rice works well, since it’s also a short grain rice)
1/4 cup olive oil (enough to generously coat the pot)
1 cup white (or red) wine – any cheap dry wine will do
3-4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
1 whole onion finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 cup whole cream (optional)

Prepare the vegetable stock first and keep this heated on the stove while you prepare the rice. It’s important that the stock is hot while it is added to the rice.

Add the olive oil and onions and fry until the onions are translucent. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the rice. Continue stirring the rice until the onions are browned. Next, add the wine and stir until the wine has evaporated. Turn down the heat to a simmer and add enough broth to barely cover the rice – continuously stirring. Once the stock evaporates, add more, continue this process until the rice is creamy and al dente (around 30 minutes). If you run out of broth before the rice is finished add more water (and maybe more vegetable/chicken stock – check the flavor).

Depending on which vegetable addition is used, the cooking time will vary. For example, add spinach near the end, but kabocha is added near the the start of the broth adding process. I like to keep it simple and add one vegetable ingredient, although up to two vegetables would also taste great. At the very end add the cream if you like. Flavor with salt pepper, and grated parmesan and serve hot.