Saffron risotto

The base of saffron risotto is incredibly simple: just finely chopped onion, which is gently cooked in butter or oil until softened. The rice is then tossed and toasted with the onions and the fat to heat the grains of rice before the liquid is added.

Wine and stock give the rice most of its flavor, so use a decent white wine (one that you’d happily drink the rest of the bottle). If you have homemade stock, that is ideal, but don’t worry if not. There are loads of good-quality, ready-made stock and stock bases to try. It’s best to keep the stock at a low simmer before adding it, as this helps keep the rice cooking even as the temperature isn’t constantly dropping.

Finishing the risotto properly is really important. Once the rice is cooked (it should still have a little bite but not be chalky), grated parmesan and butter are beaten in, and then the risotto is left to sit for 2 minutes to let all of the ingredients meld together.

How to stir Saffron risotto

The constant stirring we associate with risotto happens for a reason. This stirring means the rice grains rub against each other, which helps release the starch from the grains into the stock for that classic, oozy finish. It’s best to use a wide, deep-frying or sauté pan for this, as it means you can keep the rice moving, and the wide surface gives the liquid a chance to evaporate evenly.

Also Read: Beetroot Halwa Recipe

Saffron risotto

Recipe by RecipeWikkiCourse: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

509

kcal

This soothing saffron risotto is delicious on its own, or served with a roast chicken and the roasting juices from the tin. An impressive entertaining idea, if you’ve got friends round for dinner

Ingredients

• 100g, chilled and diced butter

• 1 small, finely chopped onion

• 1.25 litres chicken stock

• 200g arborio rice

• 75ml dry white wine

• ½ tsp (look for good-quality long threads) saffron

• 75g, finely grated parmesan

• ground white pepper

• a handful of snipped chives

Directions

• Melt 50g of the butter in a heavy-based, deep, lidded frying pan, then gently cook the onion for 10 minutes until softened but not coloured.
• Bring the stock to the boil in another pan, then turn down the heat to a simmer.
• Add the rice to the butter and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes to coat the rice and toast the grains. Pour in the wine then bubble until it has been completely absorbed before stirring in the saffron. Add the stock a ladleful or two at a time, stirring the rice from the bottom of the pan as you go. When each ladle of stock has been absorbed, add the next ladleful. Continue this for around 15 minutes. The risotto is ready when the grains are soft and have lost any chalkiness, but still have a little bite to them (you might not need all of the stock).
• Beat in the remaining butter and the parmesan, and season with white pepper. Put on a lid and let the risotto sit for 2 minutes, then serve in warm bowls with a scattering of chives.