When I saw David and Mary perform their first-ever happy dance together on In the Kitchen with David over the Red Velvet Cupcakes from The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen, I ordered that book immediately. My husband went gluten free this fall after reading about the benefits. His newest healthy habit was great for him, but it makes meal planning tough.
When How Can It Be came in the mail, I excitedly flipped through the pictures, whoops, I mean recipes. One in particular caught my eye: Almost Hands-Free Risotto. It looked warm, creamy, and comforting. But I’d never made risotto before and rumor has it it’s hard. Still, the picture beckoned. It was worth a try.
I assembled all of the ingredients--nothing out of the ordinary. I followed the recipe, glad for only a few uncomplicated directions that included approximate times of each step with four steps in all.
The result was picture-perfect—even without the parsley and chives. (Someone in the house doesn’t like green specks, but I won’t name names.) The kids, ages 14 and 11, and my gluten-free guy loved it. And it’s one of those meals that can be “thrown” together after work. It’s a miracle dish!
Almost Hands-Free Risotto with Parmesan and Herbs from The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook
Ingredients:
5 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups water
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Bring broth and water to boil in large saucepan over high head. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.
3. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed., 2 to 3 minutes Stir 5 cups hot broth mixture into rice; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 18 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.
4. Add ¾ cup hot broth mixture and stir constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, herbs, and lemon juice. To loosen risotto, add up to ½ cup remaining broth mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.