Risotto help

[legend_018]

I'm making risotto for the very first time and I think I'd like to make this one:

bear necessities: Chicken Risotto

I might also add some spinache or some veggie as well to give it a more "all in one" meal.

I have a few questions though. Thanks so much!!!!

1. I have a fairly new stainless steel pan. Should I use that? Or stay away from that and just use my fairly big non stick frying pan?

2. Say it's done and my husband is not home from work yet or is in the shower, can it sit on the stove on simmer

3. Lastly, but very important: I have a gas stove and the burners are very hot and somewhat high even on the lowest settings. at least I think so. thinks cook up VERY fast. I don't know if I should cook it on the lowest setting on my regular burners as explained above OR cook it on my simmer side which does sort of go up to a medium but has a low point of a SIMMER. Its actually the only one that has simmer. There is one that is called the HIGH burner and the other 2 are suppose to be just regular burners, but I think even on the LOWEST setting it can be still on the high side. I hope I explained this right.

 

[Andy M.]

Check out your other post for the veggie question.

You should use a wide shallow pan for risotto.

Risotto does not keep well one cooked. Try to time it so you can go right to the table as soon as it's done.

Use whichever burner allows you to cook the risotto at the right heat. The goal is to keep the stock bubbling gently, not boiling furiously.

 

[DramaQueen]

I wouldn't add other ingredients to the risotto that the recipe doesn't call for. You will be adding bulk and might not have enough liquid to handle the extra ingredients. Think about adding more liquid if you're going to do that. Whatever you do, try to make the risotto when you can eat it immediately. This dish doesn't do well by sitting after it's cooked and you definitely don't want to let it simmer on the stove waiting for hubby. Risotto has always been one of my favorite dishes but you have to treat it as the fragile dish it is.
As for the pan, I have a stainless steel pan that is my favorite for risotto. It's a saucier with a round bottom and very wide. You don't have to use non-stick and I wouldn't even recommend it. As Andy said, keep the heat at a very slow simmer. Don't hurry this dish and you'll be rewarded.

 

[VeraBlue]

I wouldn't add other ingredients to the risotto that the recipe doesn't call for. You will be adding bulk and might not have enough liquid to handle the extra ingredients. Think about adding more liquid if you're going to do that. Whatever you do, try to make the risotto when you can eat it immediately. This dish doesn't do well by sitting after it's cooked and you definitely don't want to let it simmer on the stove waiting for hubby. Risotto has always been one of my favorite dishes but you have to treat it as the fragile dish it is.
As for the pan, I have a stainless steel pan that is my favorite for risotto. It's a saucier with a round bottom and very wide. You don't have to use non-stick and I wouldn't even recommend it. As Andy said, keep the heat at a very slow simmer. Don't hurry this dish and you'll be rewarded.

A small amount of diced vegetables and especially spinach won't leech any of the liquid from the cooking risotto. Add them at the end, sauteeing them first, to caramelize them.

 

[legend_018]

I think I'll just use the simmer burner, it's what I cook Jasmine Rice on. Too bad it's in the back and the microwave that is on top of the stove makes it kind of crammy to stir but it will have to do.