Oven Risotto - Easy-To-Make Oven Risotto

By ginasheppard

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely-chopped onion
• Small pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 3 cups good-quality chicken stock or broth, divided
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium-size oven-proof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter; add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Sprinkle the saffron threads into the pan, cook and stir for approximately 1 minute.

Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, approximately 1 to 2 minutes to make sure all the rice grains are well coated (toasting the rice in melted butter keeps it from getting mushy).

Stir in 2 cups chicken stock, wine, salt, and pepper. NOTE: Keep the remaining 1 cup chicken stock hot in a saucepan over low heat. Bring just to a boil. Cover and transfer the pot to the oven and bake until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, approximately 20 minutes; remove from oven.

Stir in the 1 tablespoon butter, salt, pepper, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and just enough of the remaining hot chicken stock (1/2 to 1 cup) until the consistency of the risotto is creamy and to your liking.

Cook the rice until it is "al dente," or the tooth still finds a little bit of resistance when it bites in when you chew. It shouldn't be rock hard in the center and mushy on the outside. To test the risotto for proper consistency, spoon a little into a bowl and shake it lightly from side to side. The risotto should spread out very gently of its own accord. If the rice just stands still, it's too dry, so add a little more stock. If a puddle of liquid forms around the rice, you've added too much stock. Spoon some liquid off, or just let the risotto sit for a few more seconds off the heat to absorb the excess stock.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4 serving as a main course and 6 to 8 servings as a side dish.