3–4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 small onion or 2 shallots, very finely diced
1 ¼ cups Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
1 splash of Pinot Grigio or other white wine
5–6+ cups homemade unsalted vegetable stock, heated to almost simmering
½ teaspoon sea salt
Select one variant:
Parmigiano-reggiano
¾ cup cream
2 cups parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated
garnish with freshly grated nutmeg or shavings of pecorino with truffle (if feeling decadent)
Gorgonzola
¾ cup cream
150 grams gorgonzola dolce
Pea
(use Vialone Nano rice)
1 cup pea purée
¾ cup parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated
garnish with ½ cup fresh spring peas cooked for the last minute or two
Squash
¾ cup cream
1 ½ cup squash purée
garnish with squash sticks fried in olive oil (like french fries)
asparagus
cooked asparagus and potato purée
garnish with reserved asparagus tips and shavings of parmigiano-reggiano
Sautée the onions or shallots in butter or olive oil until translucent (but not browned). Add rice and stir for a minute until glistening. Add a dollop of white wine, stirring constently, and then add the first ladle of hot stock. Continue to stir and slowly add stock for approximately 20 minutes. Then, according to the risotto variant, add the other ingredients and cook another 5–10 minutes or more, adding more stock as required. The risotto should be slightly wet when served, not dry at all, so be sure to add one more ladle of stock more than you think necessary at the end. Season and garnish when serving onto warm plates, eating immediately.