Monday, April 12, 2010

Poll of the Week - 4.12.2010

Have you ever looked in your refrigerator and seen food, but nothing to really make a meal out of? Half an onion, one plum tomato, and some leftover cheese and olives may not sound like much, but on a day when your cupboard’s as bare as old Mother Hubbard’s, these are the perfect ingredients for a great pasta dish. When you don’t have much to work with, pantry staples like pasta, orzo, couscous, and rice can be your best friend. One of my all-time favorite ways to use up leftover odds-and-ends, though, is to make risotto.

Risotto is made from high-starch rice (like Arborio rice) and is cooked slowly over low heat until it has a rich and creamy texture. Most risotto recipes build upon a standard list of ingredients that includes onions, butter or olive oil, white wine, and Parmesan cheese, but risotto’s strongest appeal is the dish’s great versatility.

This week’s “Poll of the Week” asks what’s your favorite risotto addition?

10 comments:

  1. i actually love to make risotto with beets. you can't get that red-red color anywhere else!!

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  2. actually my favorite is risotto with blue cheese melted all throughout, and topped with really thin slices of steak!

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  3. You missed the 6th choice ALL OF THE ABOVE!

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  4. @Casey Angelova: there's a reader after my own heart! i love risotto so much, i'll eat it every way i can find it :)

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  5. blue cheese and steak!?? you might want to rename this dish - sounds wonderfully English, wonderfully delicious.

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  6. Fresh peas and zucchini! Nice and hot - massive bowl of it, please.

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  7. I love to use mushroom stock and then add saute mushrooms and asparagus.

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  8. I just love rissotto, period! :o)

    There is a seafood rissotto from CL that is really good.

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  9. Had the most insane truffle risotto in Tuscany when I was abroad. Definitely the best thing I have ever tasted.

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