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.
- Dice onion and mince garlic
- Cut mushrooms into slices
- Cut leek into rings
- Cut prunes into small pieces
- Crack/prepare walnuts
- Grate the Parmesan
- Set the table (it's best to serve risotto immediately)
Cook
20 min
Sauté onion
medium/high heat (in vegetable oil) until soft but not coloured ~3 min
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
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...
Sauté mushrooms
medium/high heat until they shrink and moisture is gone ~8 min
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
Add leek and prunes
~5 min
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)
Make it a dinner party
Getting a 'perfect' risotto involves a lot of subtle details but is worth it. Read up on it here.