Risotto is one of the most popular Italian dishes and you would find it on the menu of every reputed restaurant serving Italian food in South Bank. However, risotto is also a very difficult dish and only top of the line chefs could master the dish. For the Italian food enthusiasts, a visit to the restaurant is incomplete if they do not have risotto. People try to cook a risotto at home but it is never so perfect and amazing like the one you would enjoy in any good restaurant serving Italian food in South Bank. Here are some of the most common risotto mistakes.
Texture Is Really Important
You need to remember that the success of this dish depends on its perfect texture and consistency. It simply cannot be too thick or too runny. It should be runny enough to spread but it needs to stay firmly together. It should not be too thick so that it does not start looking like the sticky rice. The texture is very much the result of the quantity of chicken stock added and soaked up by the rice. If you make the mistake of adding too much stock and do not give enough time for the rice to absorb the stock completely, you would be creating a runny mess. If you, on the other hand, add too little stock or overcook the dish then you would land up with an undesirable blob of risotto. Once you add the chicken stock, keep on stirring till you get the right texture.
Stirring Is Important
You must not forget to stir the risotto. This dish should be cooked with a tremendous amount of care and tender love. You simply cannot cook it like the way you cook ordinary rice. Every time the chicken stock is added to your Arborio rice, it is essential to stir and keep on stirring till the stock is fully absorbed by the rice. You must go on adding the chicken stock and continue stirring till you get a fantastic creamy texture.
Use the Correct Ingredients
Stick to using the conventional ingredients while making a risotto. You must not deviate from the classic combination comprising onions, olive oil, chicken stock, white wine, Arborio rice, Parmesan cheese and butter for a spectacular dish. You could, however, substitute white wine with red wine, onions with shallots etc. You may add shrimp, scallops, lobster, and crab. Those with an inclination for veggies could opt for spinach, mushrooms, peas, asparagus and tomatoes.
Toasting the Rice Is the Key
Toast the golden rice to perfection but be careful. Do not burn it while toasting. This is an important step. If you burn the rice, your risotto would taste awful. If you do not toast it enough, the dish would lose its vitality. Toast the rice to a nice golden brown before adding the white wine for deglazing the pan. The rice should be toasted for approx. three to four minutes.
Timing Is Vital
You need to be patient if you wish to get the perfect risotto dish. It would be taking around 30 minutes. Your risotto would be a success if you add the right ingredients in the right order. You must cook the dish with patience, love and care just the way it is done in any top restaurant serving Italian food in Southbank.