Risotto

I could write a whole book on just variations of risotto, and once you’ve made it in the slow cooker you’ll never stand at a stove stirring again. The quantity made by this recipe creates a side dish, either served as the pasta course or alongside a simple piece of fish, poultry, or meat. However, if you want to serve it as the entrée itself, double the recipe.

Makes 4 to 6 servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Minimum cook time: 2 hours in a medium slow cooker

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup Arborio rice

¹/₂ cup dry white wine

2¹/₂ cups Chicken Stock or purchased stock

¹/₂ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add rice and stir to coat grains. Raise the heat to high and add wine. Stir for 2 minutes, or until wine is almost evaporated. Scrape mixture into the slow cooker.

2. Add stock to the slow cooker, and stir well. Cook on High for 2 hours, or until rice is soft and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Note: The dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot.

Variations:

 Add 2 tablespoons chopped dried mushrooms, and ¹/₂ pound sautéed mushrooms, or a combination of white and wild mushrooms at the onset of the cooking time.

 Add ¹/₂ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese along with the Parmesan.

 Add ¹/₂ pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch sections, to the slow cooker 1¹/₂ hours into the cooking time.

 Add 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¹/₂-inch cubes, to the slow cooker at the onset of the cooking time.

 Substitute beef stock for the chicken stock, and substitute red wine for the white wine.

 Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the slow cooker, and add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil.

 Substitute seafood stock for the chicken stock, and stir 1 cup diced cooked lobster or shrimp into the slow cooker at the end of the cooking time.

Risotto is one of Milan’s contributions to Italian cuisine, and legend has it that it originated in the sixteenth century. True risotto alla milanese is made with saffron, which perfumes the rice and creates a pale yellow dish. Today, almost any creamy rice dish with cheese added is called a risotto, but the authentic dish is made with Arborio rice, which, when cooked, releases a starch and creates its own sauce. The traditional dish requires constant stirring—a step happily unnecessary with the slow cooker version.