Baked Risotto

Choosing a winner of the 2010 Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen‘s Annual Cookbook was way too difficult! I loved reading all your posts and comments… and I appreciate the funny stories (it’s important to laugh!).

So… I just had to go with choosing randomly. That means I closed my eyes and pointed. I know… not very scientific. But it works!

The winner of this awesome cookbook is…

Stephanie Green Westerfield

Congratulations Stephanie! Send an email to LeAnn@Proverbs31.org with your mailing address and I’ll get the book out to you right away!

This was so much fun that I think I’m going to do a giveaway a month. Yup… just decided! I want everyone to win so I guess I need to share lots of opportunities!

OK – here’s the second recipe I made from this awesome cookbook. It was very easy to make and the result was remarkably like risotta prepared the traditional way; standing over the hot pot and stirring… and stirring… and stirring. (The only change I made was to add 2 tablespoons of butter at the end for that silky texture.) Give this method a try. It works!

Baked Risotta

(Adapted from Cook’s Country)

Ingredients:

• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 onion, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t use it)
• 1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring broth, water and bay leaves to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and keep warm over lowest possible heat.

While the broth is warming, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and salt and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Sit in rice and cook until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, stirring until completely absorbed, about 1 minute.

Pour all of the warm broth mixture over the rice. Take a large piece of aluminum foil and cover the Dutch oven, pressing down so that the foil rests on top of the broth/rice (use pot holders). (You do not want air between the top of the rice and the top of the Dutch oven.) Put the lid on and make sure the seal is tight. If you are not sure, use another sheet of aluminum foil and cover the pot completely before putting the lid on.

Bake in preheated oven until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add black pepper to taste. Finish by stirring in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and parsley.

Serve with additional grated cheese and parsley.

I served this with the Chicken Parmesan Roll-Ups from the same cookbook!

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn