It took me a while to make the risotto. But it was on my mind. As proof, my church doodles from a few Sundays ago.
See? Right under "Why am I such a Pharisee" written over and over? (I don't actually remember what brought that on.)
ANYWAY, I had a much better day last Sunday in NYC, and then came back to COLD. Very very cold. Below zero cold. A perfect night for hot, creamy rice.
It turned out just as creamy as my cousin's batch. It was, in fact, creamier than any risotto I've made on the stove. So I may just have to stick with this Dutch oven method.
I did change the recipe some. I caramelized an onion the week before, and threw it in with the rice and chicken broth. Most of my risotto recipes start with a sauteed onion for flavor. Instead of white wine, I used 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice. After stirring in the remaining chicken broth and the cheese, I added turkey keilbasa and ground coriander. Next time I'll taste before adding the full 2 teaspoons of salt.
As my aunt noted, this recipe makes a lot. Leftover risotto can be pretty gummy and sticky. But that's the perfect texture for risotto cakes. Just form patties out of the leftover rice, dip them in egg, then in bread crumbs (preferably) or flour, and sautee them.
Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. My idea of breakfast.
I've had a few comments from my fellow cooks. I'll post those later this week!