DANTE’S RISOTTO
Prepare the vegetables ahead and the cooking will be a snap.
- 1 carrot, halved
- 1 celery stalk, halved
- 6 to 8 cups Chicken Broth, or canned chicken broth
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2½ cups arborio rice,
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- ¼ pound small white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- ½ (10-ounce) pkg. thawed frozen spinach, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¼ pound prosciutto, finely chopped
- â…“ cup whipping cream
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Fill a small saucepan one-third full with water. Bring water to a boil. Add carrot and celery. Cook over medium heat until barely tender. Finely chop carrot and celery.
- Prepare Chicken Broth. Heat broth in a medium saucepan and keep hot over low heat.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan.When butter foams, add onion. Sauté over medium heat until pale yellow. Add rice and mix well.When rice is coated with butter, add wine.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until wine has evaporated. Stir in 1 or 2 ladles of broth, or enough to cover rice. Stir over medium heat until broth has been absorbed. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding broth a little at a time until rice is almost done, 10 to 15 minutes. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet. Add mushrooms. Sauté until golden. Add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, carrot, celery, parsley, prosciutto and cream to rice mixture. Mix well and season with salt. Cook about 5 minutes longer.When rice is tender but firm to the bite, stir in ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place in a warm dish.
- Serve immediately with remaining Parmesan cheese.