Venetian Rice Recipes

Steps:

• Heat broth in a small pot on the back burner over medium-low.
• Set a wide, shallow, long-handled pan over medium-low. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil until butter foams. Set the remaining 1 tablespoon butter back in the fridge to keep cold.
• Add scallions, season with a pinch of salt and stir until sweated and soft, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add zucchini coins, season with a pinch of salt, and stir until they start to sweat, begin to soften and become a little translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Push vegetables out to the edge of the pan in a ring, leaving an empty space in the center. Adjust heat - a tad hotter - then add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, then rice. Stir rice until coated and glistening, and keep stirring until it begins sizzling slightly.
• Microplane the garlic over the sizzling rice, then draw the vegetables into the rice as well, stirring well to combine, leaving a little space - a moatlike ring - along the edges where the vegetables were.
• Add the peas to the empty outer space you just created. Run your spoon through them, keeping them in their outer ring, coating them in the oil and moisture. Season the whole business with another pinch of salt.
• Ladle a generous cup of hot broth over the rice mixture in the center, seasoning with salt at each addition of broth, and stirring as the liquid is absorbed. Add another generous cupful of broth, stirring the rice while it absorbs. Repeat once more with a third cup of hot broth, stirring until the rice starts to show signs of its signature starchy and creamy nature. Keep the peas at the outer edge as much as possible. (This might remind you of making homemade pasta, when you are whisking the eggs in the well of the flour and very slowly drawing in the flour.) This entire step should take about 20 minutes. Adjust the heat slightly along the way for a very gentle, hot steaming - not hard simmering - stirring all the while.
• Add the remaining broth all at once. The peas and vegetables will slightly float on the surface, while the rice will naturally remain submerged. Stir gently or shake and swirl the pan in the classic cresting, swelling wave style, all'onde, bringing everything together - rice, zucchini, peas, broth - about 7 more minutes, maybe 10 at most.
• Turn off heat. Season assertively with black pepper. Stir or swirl in the remaining chilled butter, and finish with the grated cheese. Serve hot.

Steps:

• 1. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until crispy; remove bacon, discarding drippings. Drain the bacon on paper towels; set aside.
• 2. Saute onion in butter in the skillet over medium heat until tender. Add the peas and rice; stir well. Add the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
• 3. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Add the reserved bacon and Parmesan cheese, and stir well. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Bring broth to a simmer in a saucepan, then keep at a simmer.
• Meanwhile, turn on a food processor and drop in garlic, processing until finely chopped. Turn off processor, then add onion and pancetta and pulse until finely chopped.
• Cook onion mixture with zest in oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice, until onion is softened and just beginning to turn golden, about 6 minutes.
• Cook peas in broth 2 minutes. Strain broth into onion mixture, reserving peas, then stir in rice. Cook, covered, over high heat, stirring once after 5 minutes, until rice is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in peas, cheese, remaining tablespoon butter, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
• Decrease heat to low and maintain a simmer.
• In a large saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the onion and sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is hot, about 2 minutes.
• Add a ladleful of broth and stir until the broth is absorbed.
• Continue to add broth a ladleful at a time, stirring and allowing it to be absorbed before adding more, for about 10 minutes.
• Adjust the heat, as needed so the liquid is absorbed rapidly.
• Stir in the peas and parsley and season with salt and pepper.
• Resume adding the broth a ladleful at a time and stirring until the rice is tender yet firm to the bite, 8-10 minutes.
• If you run out of broth before the rice is ready, add hot water.
• The finished rice should be loose and flowing.
• Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 20 minutes.
• Uncover, stir in the cheese and butter, and serve.