Arborio rice is the basis of this traditional Italian rice dish. It was originally developed in Italy and I do recommend you use the import. However, it is now produced here in the United States.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Arborio rice *no substitutes
- 5 cups of freshly made hot chicken stock. Save the meat and add it to the risotto.
- 1 oz. dried porcini for flavor
- 1-2 cups fresh quartered button or sliced white mushrooms (if you use canned, use straw)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream
- 1 & 1/2 sticks of `butter
- 1 cup of white wine and remember, no not cook with any wine you wouldn't drink.
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- small handful of fresh chopped parsley
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
Rinse and place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and soak in about a cup of warm chicken stock for about 20 minutes. Drain but keep the liquid, chop mushrooms and set aside. Heat a 14" sauté pan to med. If you do not have a 14" pan, use a heavy bottom stock pan large enough to hold about a gallon of liquid. When hot add the olive oil and 1 stick of the butter and bring to temp. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in rice, coat well and cook for 2 minutes or so. Add wine, the porcini the liquid they were cooked with and cook about 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Reduce heat, add about 1/2 the chicken stock, cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until most of the stock has been absorbed. Add 1/2 of the stock that's left the fresh mushrooms, the chicken meat and continue to cook. Check periodically and add additional stock as needed or until rice is al dente. At this time fold in the remaining butter, the cream, 1/2 the parsley and the cheese; S&P to taste and remove from heat covered. Let set for a few minutes and serve sprinkled with parsley. Total cook time, 20 to 30 minutes.
CHICKEN STOCK / BRODO DI POLLO
This is a basic stock recipe that can be used for soup or in many dishes that require chicken stock. Will freeze well for about 3-6 months.
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken 3-4 lb. or 2 pounds of mixed chicken pieces.
NOTE: If using whole chicken, remove neck and gizzards from bag and cook also.
4-5 cubes of chicken bouillon or some chicken base
2-4 carrots whole
1/3 top of celery head including leafs
2 onions whole
2 bay leafs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 whole bulb of garlic cut in 1/2 across the diameter so each clove is cut in 1/2. Do not peel
1/2 bunch of fresh parsley.
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large pan, add chicken, celery, onions (cut in 1/2 do not peel), garlic, bay leafs, parsley and carrots. Be sure all is covered with cold water, add some S&P to taste and boil. As stock begins to boil, a brown substance (suet) will come to the surface and must be removed as best you can with out going crazy. Keep an eye on it until it no longer surfaces. Cook for about 1 to 1-1/2 hrs. at low to med. heat or until chicken can easily be broken apart. Twist the leg bone and if it twists loose it's done.
When the chicken is almost done it would be a good time to taste the stock and add some chicken base or bouillon cubes as required. You do want it to taste like 'CHICKEN SOUP' and not dishwater. Do this slowly because as the base dissolves it may become too strong (no problem, just add more water). At one time they used fowl to make stock because it had a lot of fat and it was cheap. Today they are hard to find and are as tough as an old bird. When chicken is done, remove from the stock and set aside to cool down.
Strain the stock, remove the carrots and onions and slice them up to use in your stock for soup. This would be a good time to remove any excess fat from the top of the stock with a ladle (and don't throw 1/2 the soup away).When the chicken is cool enough to handle, take all the meat off the bones while it is still warm (it is easier) , discarding the fat and skin. Set aside what you want for the soup and save the rest for whatever. If you freeze it, make flat packages so they can be broken apart easily.
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Submitted 9/22/05.
Source: SOUTH SIDE SOCIAL CLUB COOKBOOK
Submitted By: VINCENZO PAOLINO
vin.paolino@verizon.net
RISOTTO CON FUNGHI E POLLO ITALIAN RICE WITH MUSHROOMS & CHICKEN