I love making risotto! A lot of people think it's a very difficult dish to make, so the only time they have it is if they're at a restaurant. I like to think that over the years I've "perfected" my risotto and now I make it fairly often. Hopefully I've been able to explain it so you too can make it at home without being intimidated. You can surprise your spouse and/or dinner guests with a restaurant quality dish without spending $15 a plate! In this recipe I used spinach and sundried tomato since I had them both on hand, but feel free to substitute other ingredients. Enjoy!
Sundried Tomato and Spinach Risotto
(4 main course servings or 8 side-dish servings)
1 medium yellow onion, cut in a small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1/2 bag of pre-washed baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine (I usually use pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
48 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbl unsalted butter
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
In a saucepan, heat the chicken broth on medium heat. Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and lightly cover the bottom of the pan with extra-virgin olive oil. Saute the onion until it is translucent. Add the sundried tomatoes and garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Make sure the garlic doesn't burn. If the pan looks dry, add a little more olive oil. Add the rice to the pan and saute for approximately 3 minutes or until it starts to turn golden in color. Next add the wine and stir. When the wine has all evaporated, add in 1 cup of chicken broth and stir. Let the broth fully absorb into the rice before adding more. Keep adding the chicken broth 1 cup at a time until the rice is al dente - tender but not mushy (you have to taste the rice as you go along). When the rice is al dente, add another 1/2 cup of chicken broth and stir in the spinach leaves. Next, stir in the butter. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the parmesan. Enjoy!
