The risotto secret

October 28th, 2018 | side dishes

Risotto for guests is not possible. I always thought. You have to stir constantly, add liquid, it must not boil down, must be cooked to the point – that means “al dente”. Too stressful when the guests are already in the kitchen. But that’s not true. The well-known TV and cruiseship chef, Franz Schned, told me how to do it. Risotto, completely relaxed…

You can prepare the rice as a base and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. From this base you then refine in all directions, for example to the truffle risotto, mushroom risotto, saffron risotto or herbal risotto – the imagination knows no bounds. Chef Franz Schned’s trick is to cool the rice very quickly. This is best done by stroking it about two centimeters thick on a large plate or baking tray and cooling it. Almost perfect for guests, you just have to heat the rice, add the flavors and spices, done.

My recommendation: Use necessarily special risotto rice, only rice with sufficient water-soluble starch results in a beautiful sticky risotto later. Therefore, do not wash the rice before cooking, this would wash out the sticky starch. The bigger and rounder the rice kernel, the better: That’s how it gets a creamy risotto with a bite.

Risotto Basic Recipe

(serves 4)

6 shallots

press unpeeled with the flat side of a knife, sauté in

60 g of butter

300 g risotto rice

add, simmer until glassy, deglaze with

250 ml white wine

stir until the white wine is almost absorbed

750 ml of chicken broth or vegetable stock

gradually add to the risotto and simmer with constant stirring, waiting in each case until the liquid is absorbed

just before the risotto is cooked (after about 10-12 minutes), remove the shallots and spread the rice about 2 cm thick on a plate or baking tray and cool quickly

The rice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, then simply heat, add remaining ingredients, serve

If the risotto is too dry, add some white wine

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February 6th, 2018 | main dishes

Winter? Savoy cabbage!

To me, cabbage rolls belong to winter time such as asparagus and strawberries to the month of June. Savoy is full of vitamin C, iron, magnesium and vitamin B6. So all what you need to get healthy through the dark season. Let’s enjoy the winter!

November 10th, 2017 | on the road

Happy winners! A hot dinner event in Hamburg!

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