risotto, dedicated to sensei
Although sensei is mostly vegetarian, I hereby dedicate my most sacred working-recipe of the best risotto I can cook, to my friend.
Risotto alla sensei
1. You need a scalding hot pan, as large as you can muster, preferably teflon or Silverstone Platinum (which is the ultimate in non-stick cookware for lazy chefs).
2. You need a litre (or a litre and a half) of good quality chicken stock (if you use stock from a carton, try to get the lowest sodium you can -- just compare the packs and purchase accordingly)
3. You need a half-kilo of the best aborio rice you can get (don't be a wuss, get the good stuff if you can -- risotto alla sensei features Malacchini Riso Superfino Carnaroli from Verona, as it is hand harvested, resulting in a highly uniform grain size and maturity, which, when cooked, assists in all grains being cooked to the same consistency..)
4. You need the ingredients on hand, as the action will demand easy access in about 35 minutes..;
5. one handful of spring onions or eschallots;
6. two handsful of German cured bacon, finely chopped
7. pepper (in this recipe, we used ultra-black fine Indian peppercorns, for their tight piquant characteristics);
8. two cups of green peas, fresh and podded;
9. five grams of Iranian saffron stigma (Tasmanian or Spanish is OK, but this risotto is for our sensei);
10. one bottle of good semillon white wine (in this recipe, we use Hunter Valley 1999 "first");
11. 200g of cultured butter, (unsalted if possible);
12 asparagus tips (skinny).
Method
Heat your skillet or pan to a very high temperature, utterly dry. When you feel your pan is as hot as it's likely to get, plunge your entire stock of rice into the pan! You'll notice a dramatic effect, much like popcorn, with grains hopping all over the shop, including some who are able to escape the pan (leave those ones, they're on a different path).
After 60 seconds of toasting, drop in a quarter-cup of your stock. You'll be rewarded by a furious bubbling and spitting -- this is good! Stir like your life depended on it -- what we're trying to achieve is uniform coverage of liquid on rice...
After a minute, plunge in a splash of wine -- you'll notice a similar bubbling... Let the risotto recover from their shock at this point. They've entered a new state of being, let them settle...
Next, when your risotto are really thirsty and begging for liquid, splash in another small measure of stock or wine (trust your intuition at this early stage -- you and your risotto have entered a holy pact);
Keep your risotto thirsty (this is the whole secret of risotto), and give them a little drink of wine or stock when they're just about expired from thirst;
In parallel, heat a smaller pan with a little oil (your favourite is fine -- although this recipe uses macadamia oil) -- and fry your bacon and onions to a nice 3/4 done consistency;
Your two pans are now ready for merging: immediately after a dousing of liquid, sling your bacon and onions into the risotto pan, and stir furiously, add more stock!
Stir, stir, stir. Every grain is sacred, and wishes to please you. Add a smidge of liquid when you have to, until the liquid is all gone...
What you're looking for is a grain consistency like the classical Italian al dente ("to the tooth", that is, pliant but firm at it's middle). When you sense you are five minutes from al dente, toss in your remaining ingredients and stir, stir, stir! You'll find the butter and cheese to act as lubricants for the other delicious ingredients...
Stir some more -- this is risotto, dammit, and the secret is in the stirring fnord
When you are al dente (no more than five minutes), remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture settle. It might look like something Dai Un coughed up, but trust me, this is a magnificent risotto!
Serve as you will, although take the time to tell your fellow diners that this is risotto alla sensei
Enjoy. Bon appetit.
Important footnote:
there will be leftovers. KEEP THEM! There is nothing quite like leftover risotto, refried in a wok (as "patties") the next day. Serve with sourdough and cultured butter.
/me misses sensei