How to cook risotto in less than 30 minutes

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Risottos are a delicious and inexpensive way to enjoy whole grains. Though the dish takes time to simmer, it makes a filling weeknight dinner, as well as lunch the next day. Although risotto tastes creamy, there is actually no cream or butter in this dish. The richness of the rice comes from the way the rice is cooked that causes the starch in the rice to bind together and make the overall dish creamy and delicious. By adding butternut squash to this dish, you can make some very low fat and low cholesterol meals with risotto.

Here are a few tips when cooking and shopping for ingredients:

* The type of rice is crucial in making a good risotto dish. The most common Italian rice available is Arborio, which is available at most local grocery stores.

* The second important ingredient in risotto is the broth. You can either make your own chicken/beef broth, or buy it in the grocery store. You can also make it vegetarian by subbing the chicken broth in this recipe for veggie broth.

* Feel free to mix and match the vegetables in this risotto dish. Look for food that’s in season, whenever possible. Kale, onions and pumpkin can make a delightful winter risotto; zucchini and eggplant can offer a tasty choice with the summer harvest. Check your local Farmer’s Market for a wide selection.

How to cook risotto:

Cooking risotto is different than cooking other types of rice. Instead of boiling a pot of water and dumping the uncooked rice in, risotto is gently simmered on the stovetop with a cup of liquid at a time until all the liquid is absorbed. Once the liquid is absorbed, you add another cup. You keep doing this in that fashion until all the liquid is gone and the risotto is creamy. Adding vegetables is easy. You cook them first and then either leave them in with rice or add them afterwards. Risotto is easy to make ahead and store for a few days. Depending on the ingredients, leftovers can give you 2-3 days worth of meals and side dishes.

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