Food Geoff's Risotto Recipes

Simple Seafood

This recipe is a simple and tasty version of a seafood risotto. It is just as good or better when heated up the next day.

Serves 4-5 or 6 depending how much seafood is added

Ingredients

1 cup Arborio Rice 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin diced tomato
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Mixed seafood – this is flexible, we use 300 grams marinara mix, a fillet of boneless fish (say Barramundi) and a dozen green banana or tiger prawns.  The original recipe stated 500g but we always end up with more than this.  You can also use scallops but they need to be seared in a frying pan with the juice and scallops being added with the green prawns.  You could also try other seafood; just add at the appropriate time to cook.
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup of white wine
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

1. Prepare all ingredients and heat chicken stock and wine in a saucepan until simmering.
2. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions and garlic.  Add rice and for 2-3 minutes ensure rice is coated with oil.  Add more oil if necessary.
3. Add tinned tomato, tomato paste, seafood (fish and marinara) and two ladles of stock, stir continuously over simmering heat.  As the stock is absorbed by the rice add more, one ladle at a time until all the stock has been consumed.  This should take around 15 minutes.  Check that the rice is nearly cooked through.  Add extra stock if required – should not be too thick.
4. Add the green prawns (and/or scallops).  Stir until cooked.
5. Stir through parsley and Parmesan (if being used).
6. Serve topped with a little extra grated Parmesan as required.  

Back to Top

Gorgonzola with Chicken and Spinach

This was taken and modified from our Rice & Risotto book. 

Serves 4.

Ingredients

400g spinach, cooked and chopped, or 1 pack frozen spinach
2 handfuls washed baby spinach
200g Gorgonzola dolce latte (mild, sweet Gorgonzola) cut into small pieces
One chicken breast fillet, trimmed.
2 tbsp olive
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed (or 2 tsp minced garlic)
1  cup Arborio rice
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock (may not need quite all of the stock.). Risotto should not be too thick.
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Method

1. Fry chicken breast, set aside and when cool slice thinly.
2. Heat the stock in a saucepan until boiling then turn off heat.
3. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and cook until transparent.
4. Add the rice and stir to coat.
5. Add the chopped fresh or frozen spinach and one or two ladles of stock, stir well, and ensure that the spinach is well distributed.
6. Continue adding stock in the usual manner until the liquid has been added and the rice is cooked adequately. This will take around 20 minutes.)
7. Add chicken, baby spinach leaves and Gorgonzola. Stir to combine.
8. Allow to sit for a minute or two so the cheese can melt.
9. Stir once more and serve immediately, garnishing with chopped parsley or chives and plenty of ground pepper.

Back to Top

Sausage and Fennel

It is roughly based on a recipe from MOB Kitchen: mobkitchen.co.uk/recipes/sausage-fennel-risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup Arborio Rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 sticks of celery, diced
5 or 6 thin sausages – suggest flavoured
½ tbsp fennel seeds (or 1 tbsp ground fennel)
½ tsp chilli flakes (add more if you like it hotter)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups chicken stock (you may not use it all)
½ cup of white wine
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (50g but may need more.)
Small bunch of basil chopped (or use 2 tsp of pesto)
Knob of butter

Method

1. Prepare all ingredients and heat chicken stock in a saucepan until simmering.
2. Cook sausages in the saucepan you are making the risotto in until browned. Place aside.  If possible, remove the skins and cut into 2 cm pieces.
3. Drain fat from pan and add a small amount of stock to the pan and bubble on a high heat, using a wooden spoon to de-glaze.
4. Add olive oil to pan and when hot add onion celery and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent.
5. Add fennel seeds and chilli flakes. Stir.
6. Add rice and stir for 2-3 minutes to ensure rice is coated with oil.  Add more oil if necessary.
7. Add wine and a ladle of stock, stir continuously over simmering heat.  As the stock is absorbed by the rice add more, one ladle at a time until all the stock has been consumed.  This should take around 20 minutes.  Check that the rice is nearly cooked through. It should not be too thick.
8. Add sausage and stir to combine.
9. Turn off the heat and add a knob of butter and grated Parmesan (saving some for serving). Beat this through to create a silky texture.
10. Add basil (saving some for garnish, if using pesto then a few leaves of parsley can be added instead). Toss through.
11. Serve with remaining butter, the grated Parmesan, and a sprinkle of garnish. You may wish to add cooked broccoli when serving.

Back to Top

Thai Chicken

It seems to me that Thai Risotto is a little bit quirky: vibrant Thai meets conservative Italian.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive or canola oil
700g skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 2cm pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 long red chilli or two small ones, seeds removed, thinly sliced. add more if you like it hot.
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 Kaffir lime leaves*, stems removed, finely shredded
1½  cups (330g) Arborio rice
1/3 cup (100g) Thai red curry paste
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock. May not need all the stock.
½ cup (125ml) white wine
1 cup (250ml) coconut cream
2 tbsp fish sauce
300g green beans, trimmed, chopped
Coriander sprigs or fried Asian shallots, to serve
Lime halves (optional), to serve

Method

1. Heat the stock in a saucepan until boiling then turn off heat.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. In batches, add the chicken and cook, turning, for 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, chilli, garlic and the Kaffir lime leaves. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft, then add the rice and curry paste and cook, stirring to coat the grains for a minute or two. Add more olive oil if rice grains don’t have a shine.
3. Cook beans in microwave until slightly under done.
4. Return the chicken to the large saucepan and add the white wine. Bring to a simmer while stirring continually.  When liquid has been absorbed add two ladles of stock.  Continue stirring and adding stock until most of the liquid has been absorbed. This will take around 20 minutes.
5. Heat coconut cream in a small saucepan until quite hot – it must not boil. Test grains of rice to ensure they are cooked with no hard centre.
6. Add fish sauce and beans stirring to ensure fish sauce is well mixed into risotto.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut cream, then cover and stand for 10 minutes.  Add more stock or water if too thick.
8. Optional: Top risotto with coriander, fried Asian shallots and remaining Kaffir lime leaves and serve with lime halves.

Back to Top

Mushroom and Olive

This recipe is an adaption of two recipes from the Tasty Vegetarian cookbook.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

250g large open mushrooms, chopped
200g Swiss Brown mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Arborio Rice
½ cup white wine
4 cups of vegetable stock
3 tablespoons black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons basic pesto
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Parmesan to serve

Method

1. Prepare all ingredients and heat vegetable stock in a saucepan until simmering.
2. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions and garlic until tender.  Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.  Add rice and stir for 2-3 minutes ensure rice is coated with oil.  Add more oil if necessary.
3. Add wine and two ladles of stock, stir continuously over simmering heat.  As the stock is absorbed by the rice add more, one ladle at a time until all the stock has been consumed.  This should take around 20 minutes.  Check that the rice is cooked through.  (Add extra stock if required – should not be too thick.)
4. Stir through olives, pesto and cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve topped with a little extra grated Parmesan as required.

Back to Top