Makes 6 servings Makes 6 servings
THIS IS THE MOST BASIC rice of all and should be served as an accompaniment to other dishes, whether roasted or grilled meat or fish, vegetables, or beans. The almonds, pine nuts, and raisins are a garnish and may be left out if you wish.
2½ cups chicken stock (this page)
¼ cup coarsely chopped blanched almonds
¼ cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1½ cups long-grain rice
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup golden raisins, plumped in warm water
Heat the stock to a slow simmer while you prepare the rest of the pilaf.
In a saucepan over medium heat, gently sauté the almonds and pine nuts in the olive oil, stirring constantly, until they are brown, about 5 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion to the oil in the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to soften but not to brown—about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice and continue cooking and stirring until the rice begins to turn a very pale brown—about 5 minutes. Immediately pour in the hot stock, add the cinnamon, and season to taste with salt and lots of pepper. Stir the rice briefly to mix well, then lower the heat and cook, covered, until the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and, with the pot still covered, set aside for 5 minutes without disturbing. Then remove the lid, discard the cinnamon stick, stir in the reserved nuts and drained raisins, and serve the rice.
Variation: To make a tomato pilaf, omit the almonds, pine nuts, and raisins; chop about a pound of peeled tomatoes, or 2 cups drained canned whole tomatoes, and cook them with the onion and ½ garlic clove, crushed with the flat blade of a knife, before adding the rice. You will need less stock for this pilaf, since the tomatoes will provide quite a bit of juice. Stir in about ¼ cup chopped green herbs (parsley, basil, cilantro) at the end.
For other vegetables, add a pound of leeks, cut into 1-inch slices, or a pound of spinach, torn into pieces, with the onions, and increase the stock to 2½ cups.
Plump, short-grain Italian rice, specially grown for risotto and similar techniques, is the only rice to use. Arborio is most widely available in American markets, but you may also find vialone nano or even carnaroli, the best rice of all but not always available. Note that these are not brand names; rather they’re the names of varieties of rice.
Rice for risotto is characterized by a soft, starchy exterior coating that absorbs the cooking liquid a little at a time and swells to the requisite thick, creamy consistency, each grain thoroughly napped with sauce. For this reason risotto rice must never be soaked or rinsed before cooking—that would loosen and dissolve the starchy exterior.
Over the years I’ve tried making risotto with short-grain brown rice but in the end I have to admit that it just doesn’t work. While brown rice can be substituted in long-grain recipes, like rice pilafs, it just makes a gloppy mess with risotti. So use polished risotto rice—it’s not the most healthful rice in the world but it won’t do you any harm and the rest of the ingredients are darned good for you!
Venetians, who are the best cooks of risotto, say a proper risotto is all’ onda, that is, like a wave, just rippling with the sauce that is created simply by cooking the rice in an aromatic liquid that may also include a vegetable (or two or three) or seafood. Risotto requires more attention on the part of the cook than pilaf, but the results are well worth it. It is an elegant dish.
Risotto is usually made with quantities of butter, but I find that a mild extra-virgin olive oil is even better.