[Recipe] Christmas 2013: "Celebrate This Night" Red Wine Risotto

Risotto: the so-called bane of nearly every Top Chef and Chopped contestant ever.  But I like a challenge, and I've always eschewed that age-old advice to never invite company over for dishes you've never made before-- they are not guinea pigs.

The Christmas risotto is definitely risotto, if only because it's inspired by Giada de Laurentiis' recipe (though much modified).  It's not very traditional, though.  There's no heavy cream and no white wine, not much cheese.  It's a red wine, but I thought it would be festive and charming in the winter.

"Celebrate This Night" Red Wine Risotto
a recipe inspired by Giada de Laurentiis

The secret to risotto, it turns out, is TLC, Tender Loving Care (okay, maybe the "T" could stand for "Time," too).  Risotto requires patience and constant attention, frequent stirring and adding and more stirring.  In this, it's like any relationship, romantic or platonic—you can let it simmer on its own for a bit, but you've always got to keep an eye on it, to tend to it, make sure no edges are burnt and that the rice is always absorbing more liquid, more flavor, and more love.

Ingredients
3-1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 lb. button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 whole zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1.  Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Cover the broth and keep warm over very low heat.
2.  Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, about 8 minutes.  Remove from pan-- keep in a large bowl until needed.

3.  Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the same heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and saute for about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Then add the zucchini and saute until soft, about another 5-7 minutes.

 

4.  Stir in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes, until the rice is toasted.  Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1 minute.  Add the mushrooms back in.  Add 3/4 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 6 minutes.  Repeat, adding 3/4 cup of hot broth 2 more times, stirring often, about 12 minutes longer.

PRO TIP (okay, this is Giada's Tip): At this point, the risotto can be made 4 hours ahead.  Refrigerate the risotto (the rice will still be firm) and remaining broth, uncovered, until cool, then cover and keep them refrigerated until ready to proceed.

5.  Bring the remaining broth to a simmer, then cover and keep it warm over very low heat.  Stir 3/4 cup of hot broth into the partially cooked risotto over medium heat until the broth is absorbed and the risotto is hot, about 3 minutes.  Add the remaining broth and simmer until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer.

6.  Stir in the parsley.  Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.  Spoon the risotto into bowls.  Sprinkle additional cheese on top and serve.