Basic Risotto Recipe

After nearly a year of wanting to try making risotto on my own after having some at JF's sister's place, I found the courage to try try it.  Rice, wine, and cheese ... what could be more perfect?  It's not as hard as I thought and less time intensive than I feared.  I skipped the chopped onion and subbed onion powder, because of my odd dislike of the texture of onions and also skipped the celery because I didn't have any on hand.  I used Trapiche Chardonnay which probably isn't quite the right wine (and I've heard vermouth is the real secret), but it was still delicious!  In terms of scaling, the recipe below is heavily adapted, but it kinda works.

Basic Risotto Recipe from Jamie Oliver

1 cup risotto rice
1 wineglass dry white wine/vermouth
3 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the chicken broth.
2. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and 2 tbsp butter.  Saute the onion and garlic (try not to colour them). 
3. Add the rice and stir.
4. When the rice looks somewhat translucent, add the wine.  Stir occassionally.
5. Reduce heat. When the wine has evaporated, add a ladle-full of broth to the rice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir.  When the broth is absorbed, add another ladle-full.  Continue this process.  It will take about 15 - 20 minutes.  Taste rice occassionally and continue adding broth until it tastes cooked.
6. Remove from heat.  Add 1 tbsp butter and the Parmesan.  Stir.  Place lid on pan, allow to sit for 2 minutes, and then serve.

You can also follow the same general steps to make a red wine risotto (or check out this recipe from The Wednesday Chef).  It will turn out with an odd purple colour, but it still good.  I followed her recommendation and stuck to 1 cup of red wine instead of 2.