Carrot Parmesan Risotto

Sometimes you come home from work, and all you want is a nice hot bowl of something comforting.   And at the same time, you don't want your supper to be, well, boring.  And those are the nights that call for risotto.  Don't be intimidated by all those recipes that tell you that you MUST stir risotto constantly for 30 minutes or until your stirring arm falls off, whichever comes first, because I am here to tell you that is NOT true.  Not.  True.  You can make perfectly heavenly risotto by only stirring it here and there, I promise you.

This particular risotto starts with a base of red onion and shredded carrots that you saute for a few minutes in just the teeniest amount of butter.    This is the perfect recipe to make when those first carrots start popping up at your local farmer's market.



Now toss in some rice...if you have the arborio variety that is great, but I actually used a nice basmati rice because that is what I happened to have on hand at the moment and it worked out just fine.  Pour in some chicken broth a cup at a time and stir every five minutes or so and you will be just fine.  (Here's my trick: I put on my Ipod and stir at the end of every song...that's about 3-5 minutes depending on your playlist.  Yes, this risotto owes it all to my playlist of Bob Seger songs, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.)

At the very end, when the rice is tender and the carrots have almost melted into it, you toss in a teeny bit more butter and a handful of grated parmesan cheese.  Spoon it into your favorite dish and grind enough pepper on top to give it just the right amount of kick.  That's all there is too it.  This would be great with just about anything you cook on the grill...Buttermilk Chicken, for example...but for those early spring days that are still just chilly enough to make you want a bowl of something warm and comfy...it doesn't get too much better than this.

Carrot Parmesan Risotto, from Everyday Food

• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 6 medium carrots, grated
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. In a saucepan, bring broth and 2 cups water to a bare simmer over medium.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add onion and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in rice. Add wine; cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups hot broth; simmer over medium-low, stirring frequently, until mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue to add broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until absorbed before adding more. Cook until rice is creamy and just tender, about 20 minutes (you may not need all the broth).
4. Remove risotto from heat. Stir in Parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper.
   
   
   

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