Prune Risotto

35 min

Prune Risotto

Risotto is not a forgiving dish. But when everything falls into place, it’s incredibly delicious. It doesn’t have to take long but requires your constant attention. Also: it’s worth buying high quality ingredients, especially for the stock and rice.

Ingredients

4-5 servings

350 g

100 g
350 g
1
100 g

Risotto carnaroli (or aborio)

Prunes (dried plums)
Mushrooms chestnut
Leek
Walnuts or pecans

1 glass
100 g
1,5 L
1/2
50 g

1
2 cloves

White wine dry
Margarine or butter
Stock mushroom (or veg)
Lemon juice and zest
Parmesan

Onion yellow
Garlic

Prep

15 min

It's important to prepare before you start cooking. There is no time to cut things when cooking risotto.

  1. Dice onion and mince garlic
  2. Cut mushrooms into slices
  3. Cut leek into rings
  4. Cut prunes into small pieces
  5. Crack/prepare walnuts
  6. Grate the Parmesan
  7. Set the table (it's best to serve risotto immediately)

Cook

20 min

pan 1b

Sauté onion

medium/high heat (in vegetable oil) until soft but not coloured ~3 min

pan 2

Boil water and mix stock

Taste the stock so it's not too watery or too salty. Keep it at a rolling boil throughout the cooking process

pan 1 continued

Add risotto and garlic

stir so the risotto is heated but don't let it brown. The risotto should become 'glassy' ~2 min

Add white wine

It should sizzle. Stir and simmer until most liquid is evaporated ~2 min

Add stock, one bit at a time and keep stirring

stir until nearly all has been absorbed - the rice should always be soft rather than dry. Repeat this process until the rice is soft but has a little bite inside (so it's important to taste it regularly) ~15 min

meanwhile...

pan 1 small

Sauté mushrooms

medium/high heat until they shrink and moisture is gone ~8 min

pan 1 continued

Squeeze in lemon juice and zest while cooking risotto

Keep stirring and adjust heat if it's too hot, you have to avoid burning the risotto

pan 1 small continued

Add leek and prunes

~5 min

pan 1 continued

When the risotto is almost done, turn off the heat and add freshly grated Parmesan and margarine and stir rigorously

~3 min

Mix in the walnuts, mushrooms, leek and prunes and serve immediately

A perfect risotto is creamy and much more fluid than rice (that's why risotto is served on a deep plate)

waves

Make it a dinner party

Getting a 'perfect' risotto involves a lot of subtle details but is worth it. Read up on it here.

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