Risotto. Is there anything more delicious?

In case you had no clue, I love risotto.

Let me clarify...I love good risotto.

I recently went to a "fancy" restaurant near where we live and ordered a lovely risotto. For $18 I got a bowl of crunchy rice that desperately needed salt. No.

Risotto isn't that difficult to make, I don't know why everyone hasn't mastered this process.

Tonight I made some risotto with dinner. We got some (really good) gruyere and roasted garlic sausages, so I figured it made sense.

I don't really follow a recipe, and I would recommend you do the same. I think things turn out better that way. (Maybe not baking, but everything else.)

Here's the basic risotto idea...

You NEED a wooden spoon and a nice, heavy stainless steel pan. It will work if you use Teflon, but ew.

Melt some butter and olive oil together, cook any veggies you like first. I love to use shallot, garlic (shaved) and shiitake mushrooms. *sidebar, this batch had mushrooms on the side for picky Logan, that is why they are not in the picture. I made a heavenly mushroom and wine sauce. So. Good.*

Deglaze the pan with white wine. Use as much as you want. I like to cook with wine. If you don't, use chicken broth.

Throw in some rice. You can use any rice, but I really recommend Arborio, it has more starch.

Stir the rice with the little bit of wine that may be in there, getting all the delicious bits from the pan.

Now you just add liquid and stir. That is it. I alternate with chicken broth and wine. (Today I totally cheated and used Swanson's Tuscan Chicken broth. It was really good.)

Stir, add broth, stir, add broth, stir. Once the rice gets creamy, it is done.

I usually stir in a stinky cheese or the cute little balls of mozzarella. Season with some salt and maybe garlic and onion? That is your choice. I usually throw in some marjoram. Top with parsley and olive oil and it is done.

I don't think risotto is complete without mushrooms, but that is up to you. You can really put in any veggies you like.

Here is tonight's delicious creation. I should have taken a picture of the sauce on the rice, but I was lazy.

Try it. You can make risotto.