Risotto With Spinach Lidia Bastianich Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the spinach; slice the leaves, a handful at a time, into 1/2-inch wide strips.
• Heat the water in a large pot almost to the boil.
• Cover, and keep it very hot on the stove, near the risotto pan.
• In a heavy 10-inch saucepan, add the olive oil, onions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set it over medium heat, and stir well.
• Cook, stirring frequently until the onions are wilted and starting to color.
• Pour in the rice all at once, increase the heat, and stir continuously for about 2 minutes, until the rice grains are toasted (not browned) and make a clicking sound in the pan.
• Pour in the wine, and keep stirring, all around the pan, until it has evaporated and the rice is dry.
• Ladle in 2 cups of hot water, enough to cover the rice; cook for a minute or two, stirring, then pile the shredded spinach on top of the rice, and stir steadily as the spinach wilts and the rice gradually absorbs almost all of the moisture, 5 minutes or more.
• When you can see the bottom of the saucepan as you stir, ladle in more water to cover the rice, and stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Cook, stirring frequently, as the risotto develops its creamy suspension.
• Again, when the liquid is almost completely absorbed, ladle in another cup or so of water.
• After the risotto has cooked for 15-20 minutes and incorporated 6 cups of water, taste; add more salt or more hot water as needed.
• When done al dente and creamy, turn off the heat.
• Drop in the butter pieces, stir vigorously, then beat in about 1/2 cup of grated cheese, and grind black pepper generously on top.
• Serve immediately in warm pasta bowls.

Steps:

• 1. Bring the stock to a bare simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or large straight-sided skillet, and sauté the onion and shallots until golden. Add the mushrooms, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms and set aside. To the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and the rice. Cook and stir to coat the rice with oil, until toasted but not colored, about 3 minutes. Pour in the wine, and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. 2. Add ½ cup of the hot stock and the salt. (This step varies from Lidia's prep with me, where she salted each ingredient separately.) Cook, stirring constantly, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to add hot stock in small batches (just enough to moisten the rice completely), stirring constantly to help absorb the liquid, until the rice mixture is creamy and al dente. With the last addition of the stock, return the mushrooms to the pot, and stir and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the risotto from the heat, beat in the butter and then the cheese, season with pepper to taste, and serve immediately. 3. Porcini is the ideal mushroom for this recipe, but any mushroom or mixture of mushrooms will yield a delicious risotto.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the stems from the spinach. Swish the spinach leaves in a large bowl or sinkful of cool water to clean. If there is a lot of sand and grit in the bottom of the bowl, change the water and wash the leaves again. Drain the spinach leaves and dry them well, preferably in a salad spinner. Stack several of the leaves and cut them crosswise into 1/4 inch strips. Repeat with the remaining spinach. You should have about 8 packed cups of shredded spinach. Stir the fusilli into the boiling water. Cover the pot and reheat to boiling, stirring once or twice. When the water returns to a boil, uncover the pot. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente- tender but firm- about 12 minutes.Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and steam the spinach until wilted but still bright green, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl stir the ricotta and half and half until smooth. Stir the ricotta mixture and the butter into the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Drain the pasta well and return it to the pot over low heat. Add the spinach mixture and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to make a sauce that lightly coats the pasta. Toss thoroughly. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Transfer the pasta to a warm serving platter or individual bowls and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Separate the radicchio leaves, discarding the outer leaves and any that are wilted or damaged. Trim and discard the thick leaf bottoms and tough sections of the central ribs. Slice the leaves in long shreds, about 1/2 inch thick. Heat 8 cups water almost to the boil. Keep it very hot, simmering near the risotto pan.
• Put the olive oil in the saucepan, and set over medium heat. Scatter in the bacon pieces and cook briefly, until the fat renders, then stir in the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are wilted and lightly colored and the bacon is slightly crisped, 8 minutes or so.
• Pour in the rice all at once, raise the heat, and stir continuously for about 2 minutes, until the rice grains are toasted (but not browned). Pour in the wine and cook, stirring continuously, until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Drop all of the shredded radicchio into the saucepan, and stir in with the rice for a couple of minutes, as the shreds wilt and release liquid. Then ladle in 2 cups of the simmering water and cook, stirring, until the water is almost absorbed, 5 minutes or more. Quickly ladle in another couple of cups of water, add another 1/2 teaspoon salt, and keep stirring, as the rice releases its starches and a thick, creamy suspension starts to form. Again, when the water is almost absorbed-and you can see the bottom of the saucepan as you stir-ladle in another cup or so of water. Continue this process.
• After the risotto has cooked for 15 to 20 minutes and incorporated 6 cups of water, taste for texture and seasoning: add more salt and/or incorporate more hot water as needed. When the risotto is al dente and creamy, turn off the heat. Drop in the butter pieces and stir in vigorously, along with the 1/2 cup of grated cheese.
• Serve without delay, heaping the risotto in warm pasta bowls, and pass more grated cheese at the table.

Steps:

• Heat the water in a pot almost to boil; cover and keep it very hot on the stove, near the risotto pan.
• Add olive oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the saucepan and set over medium heat.
• Stir well as the onion starts to heat and soften; stir frequently and cook until it is wilted and just starting to color, 8 minutes or so.
• Pour in the rice all at once, increase the heat, and stir the rice and onions continuously, toasting the grains (but not browning them), until they make a clicking sound as you turn them in the pan, 2 minutes or more.
• Pour in the wine, and keep stirring for another couple of minutes, all around the pan, until the moisture has evaporated and the rice is dry.
• Immediately ladle in 2 cups of the almost simmering water, enough to cover the rice, and decrease the heat.
• Cook, stirring steadily, until the water is almost totally absorbed, 4-6 minutes.
• Quickly ladle in more water to cover the rice, add another 1/2 teaspoon salt, and keep stirring, as the rice swells and releases its starches and a thick creamy suspension starts to form.
• Again, when the water is almost completely absorbed--and you can see the bottom of the saucepan as you stir--ladle in another cup or so of water.
• Remember how much water you add; after incorporating 6 cups (or a bit more) over a period of 15-19 minutes, taste the rice for texture and seasoning--add more salt and/or incorporate more hot water if needed.
• When the risotto is perfectly cooked--at once al dente and creamy--turn off the heat.
• Without delay, drop the butter pieces into the saucepan and stir vigorously to mount--or amalgamate--the risotto with butter.
• Stir in the 1/2 cup cheese.
• For each serving, spoon a mound of risotto into a warm pasta bowl, and immediately shave paper-thin flakes of truffle over the top.
• Serve right away, as the heat releases the aroma of truffle into the air, and dish up the next portion.