Nothing says I love you like a good risotto. To make it properly, you must spend the better part of a half-hour attentively stirring the pot, bringing about that creamy-texture-without-cream miracle that makes the dish so special. The arborio rice manages to stay pleasantly chewy while exuding lots of starch, creating its own creamy sauce. Without all that stirring, risotto isn’t worth making at all — left to its own devices, it’ll end up more like a gummy pilaf.
The good news is that while risotto does take time and attention, it’s pretty difficult to mess up if you put in the face-time. Part of the joy of the dish is that it allows you to tweak and adjust as you go. If the rice isn’t cooked through yet, you need to add more broth and keep stirring. If it’s too bland, a little more salt should do the trick. And then, like magic, the whole dish comes together before your eyes. A well-seasoned pot of risotto, napped in a savory sauce of chicken broth, white wine, and sweet onions. Add your chicken and peas, along with a big handful of parmesan cheese, and you’re done.
The flavor a risotto is depenent on high-quality chicken broth — after all, the broth reduces and concentrates in flavor as the dish cooks. Starting with the best broth you can get your hands on is of utmost importance. I’ll give my recipe for a simple and versatile homemade broth below, but don’t despair if you’re not able to put in the time to make it. Trader Joe’s sells a reasonably-priced organic, low-sodium chicken broth that would work quite well in this dish. Since it only contains 70mg of sodium per serving, you can fine-tune the saltiness of the finished risotto.
Risotto with Chicken and Peas
serves 4
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. Garlic Gold oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/4 C. arborio rice
1/2 C. chardonnay wine
4 C. low-sodium chicken broth (recipe below)
2 C. (about 10 oz.) leftover cooked chicken, in bite-size pieces
1 C. frozen peas
1/2 tsp. Garlic Gold Herbs de Provence Nuggets
1/2 C. shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1. Heat the butter and Garlic Gold oil in a large (12-inch) non-stick skillet over a medium flame.
2. When the butter has melted, add the onion and salt. Stir to coat the onions in the butter and oil, then cover the skillet. Let the onions sweat until soft and not quite beginning to brown, removing the lid to stir occasionally. This will take about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and add the rice to the skillet. Toss to combine with the onions, and saute for about three minutes, until the rice has turned opaque in color.
4. Add the white wine to the skillet. Stir continuously until the wine has evaporated, about five minutes.
5. Add a half-cup of the chicken broth to the skillet. Stir it into the rice, cooking until most of the broth has evaporated, stirring all the while.
6. Continue to add the chicken broth in half-cup increments, stirring often to ensure your risotto will have a creamy texture.
7. Right after you add the last half-cup of chicken broth to the skillet, fold in the cooked chicken, peas, and Garlic Gold nuggets. Stir to combine evenly, then cover and let warm through for a few minutes.
8. Remove the lid, stir in the cheese and black pepper, and serve immediately.
Homemade Chicken Broth
makes about 3 quarts
1 4-pound organic chicken
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into eighths
1 medium parsnip, halved lengthwise
4 medium carrots, halved lengthwise
5 ribs celery, leaves included, halved
1. Combine all the ingredients in a 5-quart dutch oven or soup pot.
2. Add enough water to cover the ingredients by an inch or two — the water will come up to about 3″ from the top of the pot.
3. Cover the pot and place on the stove over a medium flame. When the water just comes up to a boil, turn down to low and let simmer for two hours.
4. Using two large spoons, carefully remove the chicken from the broth and place it on a cutting board. Let it cool until you can handle it with your fingers, then remove all the meat and discard the bones and skin. Set the meat aside — you can use it for risotto, chicken salad, or any other recipe that requires cooked chicken.
5. Use a ladle to skim off as much fat as possible from the top of the pot of chicken broth. Use a colander to strain the broth into a large bowl, then ladle it into pint or quart-sized containers for storage.
6. Store the broth in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for later use.
