In The Kitchen - February 3rd

By Chef Moreno & Cinzia Miotto

Risotto:  this is a dish that evokes warmth and elegance.

Risotto is Italian rice cooked very slowly until it’s creamy and full of flavor.

It’s a short grain rice (the term being Arborio rice) which can hold a lot of moisture without going mushy. It releases starch as you’re cooking it, becoming very creamy and rich in texture.

Risotto is typically served in the north of Italy because the ingredients are considered to be luxurious and only the wealthy could afford them (this was the attitude many generations ago - today, in Italy, risotto is prepared everywhere, but in the south where temperatures can get very hot you don’t see risotto to often because it is a heavier dish that lends itself to colder climates).

You can add almost anything to flavor it but I prefer mushrooms (porcini, chantarelles, and white truffle oil) or even fresh seafood.

At the White Goose bistro, I use fresh shellfish and add a little tomato sauce.  Whatever you use in risotto it will take on that flavor quite easily, it is a very easy product to manipulate.

Risotto is a dish I like to teach in my private cooking lessons that I offer in people’s homes. Most people, when reading a risotto recipe or seeing it done on TV, become intimidated.  Preparing risotto the traditional way requires quite a few steps and a lot of attention which scares people away from attempting it.

I’m going to show you a quicker recipe that I developed so that I can offer risotto in the restaurant (the traditional way of preparing risotto can take up to 20 minutes –my way it can be done in 10 -12 minutes).  Risotto is not a dish for anyone on a diet, it requires a good amount of butter and parmesan cheese but when done perfectly there is no other dish that makes
you feel so genuinely satisfied in what you’ve created.

 Recipe: Risotto with wild mushrooms-serves 4

-1/3 finely chopped onion

-2 finely chopped garlic cloves

-salt & pepper

-1/2 cup of dried wild mushroom or 1 cup of fresh wild mushrooms

-add ingredients to heavy bottom pot

-add olive oil enough to cover bottom

-sauté until onions are soft (don’t burn garlic)

-add 1-1/2 cups of raw Arborio rice which has been par boiled until al dente (cooked but still has a little crunch)

-stir well w/wood spoon

-add ½ cup of dry white wine

-Cook for 2-3 minutes then add vegetable stock or chicken stock until
covered

-add 1/3 cup of butter

-let cook until everything come’s together and it has a creamy texture

-remove from heat and add ½ cup of parmesan cheese and stir thoroughly

-check for salt and pepper and served immediately



Cinzia’s wine suggestion: an Italian Barolo or B.C.Pinot Noir



Chef Moreno and Cinzia Miotto are owners of the White Goose Bistro in Prince
George B.C which has been recently been recognized as one of the 25 best new
restaurants in the country by En Route magazine 2006/2007

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