A Stirring Tale

Risotto benefits from the most elegant ingredients as well as from the simplest, including leftovers.

More important than what goes into it, though, is the rice it’s made with. In most regions of Italy, arborio rice, a short oval grain with an opaque white center, is considered essential to good risotto. Texture is especially important to risotto, and this rice cooks up into a creamy consistency while preserving a little bite in each kernel.

Typically, risottos are stirred continually for about 24 minutes. Don’t be discouraged. The stirring is more manageable than you might think; just lead guests into the kitchen and let them lend a hand. Serve glasses of wine and put out plates of olives, nuts and cheese that your guests can eat while they help to stir the pot.

The following recipes were adapted from recipes by Italian chef Gabrielle Ferron by Richard Ladd, chef at Chicago’s Trattoria Convito.

This is a hearty risotto, a perfect main dish for winter. A simple green salad can precede it. If you want something a bit more festive, consider a seafood salad or a roasted pepper and fresh mozzarella salad with basil and balsamic vinegar. A lightly poached pear is the perfect dessert. The meat mixture can be cooked two days ahead, but it must be reheated so that it is hot when added to the rice.

RISOTTO ALL’ISOLANA 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 2 cups arborio rice 5 to 6 cups homemade or canned low-sodium chicken broth, kept boiling hot Meat Sauce 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Salt Freshly ground pepper Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large, heavy skillet until hot. Add onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add rice. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 3/4 cup hot broth. Stir constantly but slowly over medium-high heat to avoid sticking. Add hot liquid, 3/4 cup at time, whenever liquid is absorbed by rice. Toward end of cooking add liquid little at time so rice is not runny. (You may not have to use all of broth, but if you run out of broth, substitute hot water.)

After rice has cooked about 22 minutes, stir in Meat Sauce and cheese. Rice is done when tender but still firm to the bite in the center, about 24 minutes total cooking time. Risotto should be thick and creamy.

Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional cheese, if desired. Makes 6 main-course servings.

Each serving contains about: 403 calories; 662 mg sodium; 24 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 0.37 gram fiber.

Meat Sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, about 3 ounces, chopped 2 large cloves garlic, crushed 4 ounces pork, cut into small dice 4 ounces stewing beef, cut into small dice 1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon 1/2 cup dry red wine Water 1 large sprig fresh rosemary 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic. Cook until heated through and fragrant. Add pork, beef and cinnamon stick. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add wine. Simmer, covered, until meat shreds easily, about 40 minutes, stirring often. Add water as necessary to maintain enough liquid for simmering. Stir in rosemary. Simmer few minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Be sure Meat Sauce is warm before adding to risotto.

This risotto makes a perfect first course before a roast chicken dinner. As a main dish, it can be preceded by an arugula salad. A mushroom-steeped broth (with dried porcini and fresh mushroom stems) gives this mix a deep, wonderful flavor.

WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 pound assorted mushrooms such as crimini, portobello, shiitake or oyster mushrooms, sliced (stems trimmed and reserved for Mushroom Stock) Soaked porcini mushrooms, reserved from Mushroom Stock 2 cups arborio rice 1/2 cup dry white wine Mushroom Stock 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped thyme 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 1 tablespoon butter Salt Freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in large, heavy skillet until hot. Add onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, half of sliced mushrooms and reserved soaked dried porcini, coarsely chopped. Heat through, stirring constantly.

Add rice. Cook 2 minutes, again stirring. Add wine and cook, uncovered, until wine is absorbed. Add 3/4 cup hot mushroom stock. Stir steadily but slowly with wooden spoon over medium-high heat to avoid sticking. Add hot liquid, 3/4 cup at time, whenever liquid is absorbed by rice. Add liquid little at time toward end of cooking so rice is not runny. Risotto should be thick and creamy (you may not have to use all of broth).

After rice has cooked about 22 minutes, add remaining sliced wild mushrooms, rosemary and thyme. Cook until tender but still firm to bite in center, about 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat, then stir in cheese and butter and beat well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 6 main-course servings, 8 first-course servings.

Each serving contains about: 437 calories; 379 mg sodium; 18 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 61 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 1.09 grams fiber.

Mushroom Stock Reserved stems from 1 pound assorted mushrooms for Risotto 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 6 cups water

Combine mushroom stems with dried porcinis and water in 3-quart pot. Simmer, covered, 1 hour. Strain through cheesecloth, pressing as much liquid as possible from mushrooms. There should be 4 to 6 cups mushroom stock. Reserve porcini mushrooms for risotto and keep stock boiling hot. Discard stems or store for soup.

This is an arborio rice pudding baked in a crust. The rice can be cooked a day before the tart is baked, and the tart itself can be baked two days ahead of serving. Be sure to gently reheat the tart before serving--the texture becomes very firm when chilled. The tart is good with caramel ice cream, whipped cream or fresh berries.

TORTA DI RISO 3 1/2 cups milk plus 2 to 4 tablespoons 2/3 cup arborio rice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 2/3 cup sugar 4 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup chopped almonds Crust Topping

Combine 3 1/2 cups milk and rice in heavy saucepan. Simmer, covered, until thick and creamy, about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to avoid sticking. Cool completely. Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered airtight.

Combine cooled rice mixture, butter, sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon and almonds in mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until mixture resembles thick but creamy oatmeal. Add more milk as needed to get creamy oatmeal consistency. Spread rice filling over Crust. Smooth surface with spatula. Using back of spoon, gently spread Topping over rice. Place tart on baking sheet.

Bake in center of 350-degree oven until tart is puffy and very lightly browned, about 50 minutes. Let cool on cake rack. Serve at room temperature or barely warm. (Can be baked 2 days ahead and refrigerated. To serve, gently reheat tart at 300 degrees 10 minutes.) Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each serving contains about: 735 calories; 146 mg sodium; 330 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 89 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.44 gram fiber.

Crust 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar Dash salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 large egg

Combine flour, sugar, salt, butter and egg in food processor or mixer until finely crumbed. Let stand in refrigerator until ready to assemble tart. To assemble, press crumb mixture evenly into greased 10-inch springform pan, working edges up to 3/4-inch.

Topping 1 large egg 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon sugar

Whisk egg, butter and sugar in small bowl until flowing.