You must use Arborio rice for this. I bought a one pound bag, but didn't measure it by volume. I'm guessing that it was about two cups. It has much more starch than normal converted rice. The starch gives the dish its creaminess.
| 2 15 oz cans chicken broth 1/4 cup (or to taste) vermouth or other dry white wine 4 Tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion diced 2 stalks celery, diced 2 carrots, diced |
1 lb Arborio rice (about 2 cups) 2 cloves garlic (or to taste), minced 8 oz sliced mushrooms 2 Tbsp butter 4 oz heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese |
Add vermouth to chicken broth and heat over
medium heat (don't boil) in a saucepan
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep 10 or 12 in non-stick skillet
Add diced onion, celery, and carrots to oil. Add salt and fresh ground pepper
Saute for 5-6 minutes or until onions are translucent
Add rice and garlic and stir for about 2 minutes until rice is coated in oil. You can add
another tablespoon or so of oil, if necessary
Reduce the heat to medium low and add the mushrooms (no, you don't have to saute them
first) and about a quarter of the broth. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
NOTE: Set a timer for 22 minutes, that's when the dish will be done ! From here on out, you must stir the rice combination continuously or it will burn. This is because of the high starch content.
As you stir the rice, it expands and absorbs the
broth. You must replenish with hot broth. Cold broth stops the cooking process. When the
broth you have added is almost all absorbed, add more broth, enough to cover the rice. You
should have to do this 6 or 8 times in twenty minutes. If you run out of broth before the
time is up, just add hot water as needed.
When the 22 minutes is up, taste the rice and make sure that it is fully cooked. If not,
add more liquid and cook for about 2 more minutes
When the rice is fully cooked, add the butter and whipping cream (you can leave this out
if you want) and stir over low heat for about two minutes.
Remove from heat, add parmesan and stir cheese into rice.
Serve immediately