Tilda is serving up a New Year recipe for risotto success as it seeks to encourage more chefs to adopt an uncomplicated Italian-style approach to the classic dish.
Mark Lyddy, Head of Foodservice for Tilda, says: "The beauty of risotto is that it is a great dish for a range of menus because it is so versatile so can be used as a starter or a main meal option and is also a popular choice for the growing number of vegetarians.
"It has an undeserved reputation for being difficult to prepare but the fact is risotto needn't be tricky particularly if you follow the classic Italian approach which is based on simplicity and a very limited number of ingredients.
"It is a myth that chefs have to watch and stir the rice all the time while it cooks. When it comes to risotto, most people still think of this old-fashioned approach of cooking and stirring but the classic Italian approach is all about making it without stirring. It is based on concentrating on how much stock you use – not the time taken. This technique means you can leave the dish because all the ingredients are added at the end.
"Italy's most prized rice, Arborio, comes from the valleys of the River Po in northern Italy so Italian chefs really know their stuff when it comes to making risotto."
Top chef, Andrea Messini, who runs Le Gemme di Artemisia restaurant in northern Italy with wife, Lara, agrees with the Tilda approach that the secret of a great risotto is to keep things simple and to avoid using too many ingredients.
Tilda’s five-point guide for risotto success during 2011 is:-
Step 1. Use a natural vegetable stock which needs to boil for no more than 15 minutes.
Step 2. Use double the amount of stock compared with the amount of Arborio rice. Lyddy says: 'Using double the amount of rice to stock – three ladles of rice to six of stock, for example, - the rice is put on to simmer. You don’t want to burn it because if you do, it crystallises and doesn’t absorb so much liquid."
Step 3. There is no need to stir – just simmer for 13 minutes. "After 13 minutes check to see how ‘thirsty’ the rice is."
Step 4. Add ingredients once the rice is cooked. "When it comes off the stove, you could perhaps add a little cheese or butter to make the rice creamier – but definitely no cheese on top!"
Step 5. Ensure that is served flat rather than round. "This keeps the taste level and the temperature the same throughout the dish which enhances the enjoyment for diners."
Lyddy adds: "We want to encourage more chefs to appreciate the sheer versatility of risotto and to understand that it doesn't necessarily have to be a difficult dish to prepare particularly if you follow our Italian approach."
The favourite rice styles for risotto in Italy are Arborio and Carnaroli. "Arborio needs an extra minute to cook compared with Carnaroli but the latter is thinner although the difference is subtle and both give a good result."
Italy's most prized rice from the valleys of the River Po in northern Italy, Arborio Risotto is the finest of the Superfino Risotto rice types. Its short, plump grain cooks up to a delicious creaminess, while keeping the highly prized al dente texture at its centre.
Chefs looking for more great tasting recipes made using the
Tilda Rice range should visit: www.tildafoodservice.com |
