RISOTTO AL BAROLO
Posted by Guidi Wines on
If we think of Piedmont, immediately comes to mind a land with a historic and well-defined culinary culture, with fine ingredients and a strong taste.
And of course, some of the most famous Italian wines: Piedmont is undoubtedly one of the leading wine regions in terms of quality, not only in Italy, but also in the World.
About 90% of the wines from Piedmont are quality wines. This makes the selection as easy as it is exciting. You have to make a real effort to make a bad choice. Thanks to the great variety of red , white and sparkling wines, Piedmont wine always has pleasant surprises to offer even for experienced connoisseurs.
Barolo is a DOCG (certification of controlled and guaranteed origin) wine produced using only the finest Nebbiolo grapes and aging of at least three years in oak or chestnut barrels.
A glass of this fine nectar is intoxicating: it has color intense red and the nose is intense and persistent with aromas of violets, vanilla and spices. Barolo pairs well with red meats, braised meats, game and aged cheeses and it’s also an excellent meditation wine.
Its dry and robust flavor is perfect not only to sip with succulent meat dishes but also to be used in first courses, preferably in simple preparations that enhance its natural aromatic notes like Risotto al Barolo, that with its strictly quality ingredients, will give life to an effective dish that will guarantee you the applause of your guests!
Take a look at our recipe and suggestions to make a traditional Risotto al Barolo at home and browse our selection of INGREDIENTS to prepare it.
TIPS: The best Risotto al Barolo is rich and creamy, with plump grains of rice, perfumed of wine and Parmesan, and saturated with butter.
While there are several varieties of risotto rice to choose from, Carnaroli produce the creamiest one.
Risotto al Barolo is the kind of dish best served in a deep bowl with a large spoon for bite after bite of creamy delight.
The ingredients for Risotto al Barolo (4 servings) are:
- 12 oz Carnaroli rice
- 16 oz Barolo wine
- 16 oz vegetable stock (hot)
- 5 oz butter
- 1 small onion
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- salt and pepper to taste
Risotto takes a while to cook properly, and it requires your attention as well as your time.
For the preparation of Risotto al Barolo take a tall pot and start cooking the vegetable stock, which is essential when cooking the rice.
In the meantime, in a pan, pour half of the butter and fry the onion coarsely chopped. When the onion start to brown, add the rice and toast for few minutes, until the rice starts to look slightly toasted on the tips and smells fragrant and nutty.
At this point, pour the Barolo wine, stir with a wooden spoon and raise the flame. When the wine starts to simmer you can lower the heat again while you wait for it to absorb well.
Remove the vegetable stock that you have put to cook from the heat and then add it, little by little, adding more only when the rice is drying out too much. In this way you avoid ending up with a risotto that is too liquid. Add salt to taste and cook for a total of 20 minutes.
Once the rice is cooked, turn it off and stir it by adding a little pepper and the Parmesan. Mix the ingredients well while adding the cheese and the other half of the butter.
Serve in bowls and enjoy.
TIPS: Timing is key to making a perfect Risotto al Barolo.
When you add the stock, make sure that you wait until the risotto has almost completely absorbed the liquid and the rice is nearly dry before you add the next portion of stock. The technique is called the "risotto method". It releases the rice's starches, producing a creamy, velvety dish.
Rushing the process will result in rice that may be mushy on the outside and crunchy on the inside.
