Yes! You can make it... Risotto

So many people only order risotto at a restaurant. They feel that it's too complicated and labor intensive to make at home. Well, I would like to dispel that notion! Ever since I found the trick to making risotto, I have made it repeatedly. It's now one of our favorites!

Ingredients you'll need:

1 1/2 cup arborio rice 

4 cups chicken broth, hot

1/2 cup white wine

4 ounces Parmesan cheese

3 Tablespoons butter

1 shallot

1 cup hot water or broth

Stock pot that can go into the oven

P.S. 

The starch that comes from the arborio rice is the key to the creamy texture of risotto, 

so do NOT rinse the rice. I know that is a habit of some people. 

Gather your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350F (175C)

Chop the shallot and measure everything out. Start with only 4 cups of the broth. 
You'll notice that I had to buy a replacement for my Pampered Chef food chopper. 
I couldn't live without it. :) 
Notice the rice. I placed both the arborio and a long grain rice on the counter so you could see the difference. Arborio is a fat short grained rice. 

Put the rice, shallot and 4 cups hot broth into your stock pot. 

Stir it up nicely.  

Put on the lid and pop that pot into the oven. Set your timer for 45 minutes. 

While your pot is in the oven, you can prepare the rest of your meal. I've thinly sliced cucumber on my mandolin, one of the very few kitchen items I brought with me when we moved to France.  A little salt and vinegar to complete the cucumber salad. Some crusty bread is ready. 

The last ingredients for the risotto... one cup of hot water (I find that if I use one more cup of broth it tastes too salty for me), 1/2 cup white wine, butter, and Parmesan cheese. I'm also adding scallops when it's finished. Feel free to leave those out or add your favorite. Other good choices might include: shrimp, leftover cooked chopped chicken, cooked vegetables, your favorite.

After 45 minutes in the oven, remove pot to the stovetop and put heat on medium.  

Add in everything except the seafood. Butter and Water...

Wine...

Parmesan cheese

Stir, stir, stir.  

And stir some more! If you are brave, turn the heat up higher, but you need to stir vigorously to keep that cheese from burning to the bottom of the pan. 
If it starts to stick too much, back the heat down a bit. 

A lot of steam come off this, hands get hot!

I'm adding scallops, so I lay them out on paper towels to dry well. You don't want to introduce any more liquid than you must.  

I even pat them off as best I can. These are sea scallops. I know in the US, scallops are all white, without the coral. Here, in France, the scallop comes in tact with much more for your eating pleasure. They are tender and mild, coral attached. Not to mention, they add a bit of color to your dish!

So, as you stir and cook away the liquid, you can tell when you've got the correct consistency when as you stir, you can leave an indentation in the rice rather than having your path filled in quickly, like soup. It doesn't stay that way, it does flow back down, just not instantly. For my soaping friends, your risotto is tracing! :) 
Time to turn off the heat. 

 I add the raw scallops, you can also add cleaned raw shrimp. 
Meats and vegetables should be added already cooked. 

I just push them down into the risotto and put the lid back on for 5 minutes or so. The heat in the risotto will cook the shellfish perfectly without overcooking. There's nothing worse than overcooked shellfish that should be tender. 

Everything is finished. The risotto has firmed up a bit and the scallops are perfectly done!  

I wish I had prettier bowls for presentation. 
But as we start over here, this is what we have. :) 

Everything tasted better when eaten outside on the balcony in the sunshine. 
Bon Apetite!