Italian Risotto with Salsiccia and Gran Moravia Cheese
·Sweat the onion until translucent
Finely chop the shallot. Try to cut the pieces as evenly as possible, otherwise some may end up slightly caught while others haven't softened properly yet.
Butter and oil
Place a stainless-steel pot with a thick base on the stove and turn the heat to full. Let it get hot, then drop in a knob of butter and pour in about two tablespoons of olive oil. As soon as the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot.
Add the rice
You can turn the heat down slightly, but not too much. Cook the shallot until translucent. Turn the heat back up to full and tip the dry rice in with the shallot.
Keep stirring
Stir vigorously and don't stop. The rice will change colour as it toasts, which takes about two to three minutes. You really mustn't stop stirring during this time, or the rice and shallot will catch. Now season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the wine
Pour the wine over the toasted rice, again with the heat on full. Keep stirring until all the wine has evaporated and there's no liquid left in the pot. Now it's time for the hot stock.
Add the stock gradually
The stock should be kept hot in a pot on a neighbouring burner. Start adding it to the rice, always enough so the rice sits just below the surface of the liquid. The grains shouldn't be peeking out, but there shouldn't be too much liquid sitting on top either.
One ladleful at a time
Add one ladleful at a time, then simply keep stirring and let the rice absorb the added liquid fully before adding the next ladleful. Keep tasting as you go.
Season with salt as soon as needed
If the dish needs more salt, add it as early as possible so it has time to soak into the rice grains themselves, not just the sauce.
Add the salsiccia pieces
About halfway through cooking, roughly ten minutes after adding the first stock, I added pieces of one salsiccia sausage. I sliced the second one and fried it until crispy.
Tender rice
After about 20 to 25 minutes the risotto should be done. The only way to know when to stop cooking is by tasting and checking that the rice is tender enough. It definitely shouldn't be overcooked or mushy.
Butter and cheese
Take the finished risotto off the heat. Have ready a few pieces of well-chilled butter and some grated cheese. Add both to the pot and stir vigorously until the butter and cheese have melted in.
Serving
This final step thickens the risotto and rounds out the flavour. Serve immediately on warmed plates. Give the underside of each plate a few good taps with your palm — a properly made risotto should spread out beautifully across the plate. Finish with a garnish of salsiccia and a little finely grated hard cheese on top.